First Surfside condo collapse victim identified as Stacie Fang, mother of rescued boy
Stacie Fang, whose son was dramatically rescued from the rubble after the Surfside condominium collapse on Thursday, was the first victim to be identified Friday by the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office.
Fang, 54, was taken to Aventura Hospital and Medical Center on Thursday and died shortly thereafter, authorities said. She will be buried Sunday in New Jersey, according to NBC6.
Her sister, Virginia Borges, told the Washington Post Thursday that she had been trying to get information on her sister all day.
“He was rescued, but he has no idea what happened to his mother,” Borges told the Post.
The 15-year-old boy who was rescued is Jonah Handler, a 10th grade junior varsity baseball player at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, according to the school’s Facebook post.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the individuals that have been affected by the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers building in Surfside,” the Friday post read. “He is currently being treated at the hospital and we are praying for his full recovery. We ask that you please keep Jonah, his family and all those affected in your prayers as search and rescue efforts continue. The family has asked to please respect their privacy at this time.
On Friday, the Handler and Fang families released a statement:
“There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Stacie. The members of the Fang and Handler family would like to express our deepest appreciation for the outpouring of sympathy, compassion and support we have received. The many heartfelt words of encouragement and love have served as a much needed source of strength during this devastating time. On behalf of Stacie’s son, Jonah, we ask you now to please respect our privacy to grieve and to try to help each other heal.”
On Facebook, people have reacted to the news and called for prayers for her son.
“My heart breaks,” one person wrote. “OK I was already crying but now...,” another person added.
This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 1:48 PM.
