Community Chat

[Marp]

Authorities announced Friday that a cat belonging to a family who lived in the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Fla., has been located and reunited with his owners, two weeks after the building partially collapsed.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava (D) said at a Friday evening press conference that the cat, Binx, had lived on the ninth floor of the residential building and was recently found near the site, where emergency responders are still working to find those buried under the rubble.

The Miami Herald earlier Friday reported that Binx belonged to Angela and Edgar Gonzalez, who lived in one of the condo units with their daughters, Deven and Tayler, and their dog, Daisy.

According to the Herald, while Tayler was not in the building at the time of the collapse, Angela and Deven were among the first to be pulled from the rubble and were hospitalized.

Edgar Gonzalez remains missing as of Friday, the Herald reported.

“Binx” the cat found safe days after Champlain Towers South collapse. Cat belongs to the Gonzalez family. Two families member remain in the hospital. Search continues for Edgar Gonzalez. #SurfsideBuildingCollapse @wsvn pic.twitter.com/dTPsxnfdUQ
— Jessica Holly (@JhollyW) July 9, 2021

“After 16 long and extremely difficult days, I’m happy to be able to share a small piece of good news," Cava said Friday.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart and all of us, who are so happy to have played a role in returning Binx with his family,” she added. “I’m glad that this small miracle could bring some light into the lives of a hurting family today, and provide a bright spot for our whole community in the midst of this terrible tragedy.”

Gina Nicole Vlasek, co-founder of local animal shelter The Kitty Campus, had posted on Facebook earlier Friday that a black cat matching Binx’s description was brought to the shelter by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials Thursday evening.

“All we needed was a ray of hope in this tragedy… Today was one of the most amazing days,” Vlasek wrote. “One of the survivors came to see the cat and to determine if it was her families cat and IT WAS!”

[Spurt]

That's good news about Binx the cat
Prayers for those in the hospital
And a miracle I'm hoping they find Edgar

[spiderw]

That is uplifting news about Binx.  This is such a tragedy , so much loss of life.  Finding Binx brings a smile where very few smiles can be found.  

[Goldengate8361]

So happy to hear about Binx! We needed this happy story about this terrible tragedy. I love cats!

[songbird]

@Marp @Goldengate8361 @spiderw @Spurt  Here he is:

[NickNack]

Thank you for posting this good news @Marp .  I'm sure Binx was as happy to see his family as they were to see him!❤️

[Anonymous032819]

That makes me so happy about Binx the cat!!! 😺 😺 😺 😺

One can't help but wonder, just how many of its nine lives it used.

I hope that the kitty isn't traumatized by what happened.

Gotta wonder what he would say if he could talk.

May Binx feel nothing but love, peace, contentment and happiness. 

💗 💖 💛 💚 💙 💜 

[Sushismom]

I'm so happy to hear about Binx! Unfortunately, I also believe some animals were killed when they brought down the other half of this building. 

[Marp]

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@Sushismom wrote:

I'm so happy to hear about Binx! Unfortunately, I also believe some animals were killed when they brought down the other half of this building. 

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@Sushismom,  if you mean because they were left behind the mayor said every room in the remaining section had been thoroughly searched, including in closets, under bed, etc.  Drones were also used and heat seeking instruments were employed to make certain no living being was still in the building before it was imploded.

Sadly, some pets did perish due to the original collapse.

[NickNack]

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@Sushismom wrote:

I'm so happy to hear about Binx! Unfortunately, I also believe some animals were killed when they brought down the other half of this building. 

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@Sushismom   The mayor said they made every effort to get the remaining pets out before they demolished the building.  She said that at great risk to the rescuers they went to the apartments and set up cages and left the apartment doors open so the pets could get out on their own.  They took the ones out that they could.