It’s been a very long nearly one month since last I posted on June 25th, the day after the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South.

A lot has happened since then and forgive me for not providing updates.

It’s been very hectic.

As I mentioned in my previous post, once I had an idea of the nature and extent of the Champlain Towers collapse and realized among the apartments that were part of the collapse was that of my parents, I feared there was little hope for their survival.

On July 2, my father’s body was recovered. On July the 10, my mother’s. Both were identified by a DNA swab I provided. As painful as the news was, at least for my family and I there was closure, which at that time there wasn’t for everyone who lost loved ones to this tragedy.

On Friday, July 16th, we finally had their burial. I was truly touched by those who showed up and had kind things to say about my parents and truly appreciated the company we had following the funeral.

Not only did I lose my parents, though, but also everything they had in their apartment. Family pictures, heirlooms, jewelry, artwork (nothing by anyone famous, but nonetheless some beautiful pictures and one sculpture they had for literally decades), is gone.

Even their cars, which were parked in the underground garage and likely survived the initial collapse as they were under the part of the building that remained standing, could not be brought out. To be very clear: Nor should they have been considered being removed over the far more pressing need to find survivors.

However, once the rest of the building was brought down, the cars were likely crushed as well.

So all their possessions along with them are gone and its so heartbreaking… its as if they not only passed away, but didn’t exist at all.

Perhaps the most infuriating thing to happen from this tragedy is that there are -and there is no kind way of saying this- assholes out there who took advantage and stole the identities of some of the victims…

Hacker steals identities of multiple victims killed in Surfside condo collapse

I hope they’re found and prosecuted to the absolute fullest extent of the law.

So today, nearly a week since the funeral, my sisters and I are going over my parents’ estate and sorting things out. It will be quite a process, likely to take many months and many trips to Estate lawyers and banks, etc., to close out accounts and distribute monies according to my parents wishes.

I feel better today, frankly, than I did in the last posting.

My parents, based on where their bodies were found with respect to the apartment, were likely in bed when the collapse happened, hopefully in a deep sleep.

If this was the case, and given the speed in which the building collapsed, they likely didn’t feel a thing or were even aware of the tragedy as it was happening.

It is my most fervent hope.

I have so many memories of my time with them and will cherish them for the rest of my life.

For those out there reading this, don’t take your loved ones for granted.

Rest in peace, my dearest.