She later added, “The things we carry are heavier now, and one year later, or many years later, our knees sometimes buckle beneath the weight of our grief. Still, we have discovered moments of grace, too. … We realize that we are not alone.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Jill Biden.Joe Raedle/Getty
The First Lady also lauded the Americans “who donated and found ways to spread kindness” after news of the catastrophe spread.
“We honor the light that you found in each other,” Biden said, calling it “a fellowship that you never wanted to be a part of but draw strength from just the same.”
“If there is something strong enough to help us carry this burden of grief forward… it’s love,” she added.
First Lady Jill Biden.Joe Raedle/Getty
Also speaking at the event was Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger, who said the effects of the 2021 collapse “will last a lifetime.”
“No one felt the loss as much as you,” Danzinger said to the families of victims and survivors. “You had a piece of your hearts torn out that night, leaving a gaping hole that will never be filled.”
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recognized the community’s courage at Friday’s memorial, which he said “speaks a lot about this community in Surfside” and Florida.
“You saw an entire community mobilize in support of, obviously, families who were wondering what happened with their loved ones, other families who were displaced and you had individuals step up,” he said.
The families of victims and survivors of the Champlain Towers South condo collapse wereawarded nearly $1 billionin a settlement in May.
source: people.com
