Photos, candles and flowers pop up on memorial wall for 159 missing in condo collapse
There’s something almost uncomfortably beautiful about watching people peacefully put up pictures and light candles for lost loved ones.
And that’s exactly what was going on Friday night on a fence along a tennis court on Harding Avenue, a couple of blocks south of the fallen south tower at the Champlain condominium.
Family members were there. And so were those just saddened by what happened and paying some respect.
One woman stood next to her two sons, her hands together in front of her face, in quiet prayer.
The scene just south of 88th Street and just a few yards from where CNN set up its tent was started by a man named Leo Soto, 26, who said he simply wanted to help.
So he came here and put up some flowers and candles and pinned up some laminated pictures of those still missing in the rubble.
Among them: Lorenzo and his dad Alfredo Leone of apartment 512. Also, Luis Andres Bermudez, 26, and his mom Ana Ortiz.
Soon the site attracted attention. People added pictures and flowers and candles. It grew organically.
Reina Truck was there and spotted Luis Bermudez.
“Oh my goodness, I used to cut his hair,’ she said. “Wow, shoot man.“
Soto said his hope is that people find a few moments of peace.
“It gives people another place where they don’t have to deal with the stress and they can simply pay their respect,” he said.
This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 10:33 PM.
