Cat missing from Surfside condo collapse reunited with family
When a 12-story condo building in Surfside, Florida, collapsed this summer, there wasn’t much positive news to be taken from the disaster. Nearly 100 people lost their lives in the collapse, which happened in the early hours of June 24 in the idyllic beachside community just north of Miami.
As rescue crews sifted through the debris and weighed the decision to demolish the part of Champlain Towers South that remained standing, many survivors and onlookers expressed concern about the pets that had gone missing after the collapse. One of the animals that was lost for days was Binx, a black cat who lived with a family on the ninth floor of the doomed building.
Binx’s family likely feared the worst as the days dragged on and the search for survivors failed to yield many results. But this kitty defied the odds and found a way to escape the rubble apparently unscathed.
On July 9 — more than two weeks after the disaster — Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava tweeted that Binx had been found and reunited with his family.
After 16 long and incredibly difficult days, I’m able to share a small piece of good news — Binx from Champlain Towers South has been found.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of our community to the team who played a role in reuniting him with his family. pic.twitter.com/yzDxW6plHG
— Daniella Levine Cava (@MayorDaniella) July 10, 2021
Cava’s announcement came after a local cat rescue organization, The Kitty Campus, had shared the news. Binx had been staying at the group’s shelter after he was found near the fallen building and they felt he matched the description of one of the pets who had been reported missing.
“Let this serve as a reminder to NEVER… EVER… EVER… GIVE UP HOPE!” Kitty Campus co-founder Gina Vlasek shared in her post on Facebook. “Today was one of the most amazing days. One of the survivors came to see the cat to determine if it was her family’s cat and IT WAS!”
One of the best parts of Vlasek’s post was a video she shared of Binx, sitting in his cage, exploring his surroundings and even getting some love. The short clip has been viewed more than 31,000 times since it was posted.
Additional information about Binx’s family wasn’t revealed, but it had to make the entire awful situation they’ve gone through a little easier to see their furry friend again. That’s one tough kitty!
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