Rising star volleyball player, 16, survived after she and mom fell four floors during Miami condo collapse - but her attorney dad is one of 121 still missing in rubble as hopes of finding survivors fade
- Deven Gonzalez, 16, a rising volleyball star and her mom fell four floors when the Miami condo collapsed on June 24, but were rescued
- Gonzalez's father, Edgar, is one of 121 still missing. There are 24 confirmed deaths. Hopes are fading that anyone else will be pulled alive from the rubble
- The remaining structure was demolished with controlled charges on Sunday
A 16 year-old rising volleyball star and her mother survived after falling four floors when the Miami condo building collapsed - but her attorney dad remains missing.
Deven Gonzalez, 16, was one of the survivors after she pulled from the rubble after she and her mom Andrea tumbled from their ninth floor apartment during the collapse.
The teenager and her mother Andrea Gonzalez were rescued from the fifth floor of the ruined Champlain Towers South. Deven underwent multiple surgeries for surgeries for a broken femur. Andrea was more seriously injured, and spent time on a ventilator, but has since come off it and spoken to her daughter.
Distressingly, Deven's dad Edgar Gonzalez - Andrea's husband - is one of 121 people still missing in the rubble, with hopes now fading of finding the attorney alive.
The death toll has remained at 24 since Saturday, as recovery efforts were halted to let demolition experts prepare to bring down the surviving wing of the tower with explosives on Sunday night.
Deven's entire world revolved around volleyball. She plays on her high school team and on a competitive travel club team. From her hospital bed, she apologized profusely to her coach for missing their final practice.
'I said, "Let's focus on you right now and not volleyball,'' said club coach Amy Morgan, who described the Gonzalez as extremely determined, passionate and unrelenting in pursuing her goals.
Luckily, the family's eldest daughter, Taylor, was not in the building at the time of the collapse and has been a source of strength for her mom and sister, according to Morgan and Joslyn Varona, a family friend who has posted frequent updates on Facebook.
'This is a strong and wonderful family,' Varona said. 'They have a lot of faith.'
Deven Gonzalez, left, with her teammate Liyah Deveauxd
This photo provided by Dr. Mitchell Bernknopf shows Deven's father Edgar Gonzalez, who is still among the more than 120 still missing
The rest of the Champlain South tower is demolished with a controlled explosion in Surfside, Florida, north of Miami Beach, late on July 4
The remaining structure of the collapsed Miami condo was demolished because of fears that winds from Tropical Storm Elsa would topple the building
Deven still hasn't been able to see her mother because they are in separate parts of the hospital, but she briefly video chatted with her a few days ago on her mother's birthday when Andrea Gonzalez's intubation tube was removed, Morgan said.
Deven was conscious when the building collapsed and throughout her traumatic rescue, her coach said. She remembers the details vividly and is having trouble sleeping, haunted by nightmares.
'I don't know if she's completely come to terms with everything. She has and she hasn't,' said Morgan, who added that Deven was unaware of the extent of the tragedy and the worldwide attention it's received.
'She says, "My dad´s still missing. My dad's still missing,'' Morgan said. 'She gets really choked up about it.'
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The teen even took her first few steps recently.
'It's going to be a nasty, hard painful road, but I think she can do it,' Morgan said.
Andrea Gonzalez will undergo surgery for her extensive injuries this week, but has been responsive when asked questions, Varona said in her Facebook posts.
'There has not been any news on Edgar,' Varona wrote. 'We are still praying and hoping for a miracle.'
Israeli search and rescue expert Colonel Golan Vach, who is working on the recovery effort, said Sunday he does not believe anyone else will be pulled alive from the rubble.
Varona said she has set up a letter writing campaign to encourage the family.
Edgar and Andrea Gonzalez were extremely involved with Deven's volleyball goals, the coach said. Her mom was like the team therapist, always listening and encouraging the girls.
Edgar is a kind, gentle and jolly father, Morgan said. After one tournament, he helped prepare a massive BBQ feast for the team.
The family was about to leave for a vacation Orlando when the building collapsed. Edgar was so excited he'd been packed for two weeks.
'They're so loving, so supportive,' Morgan said. 'I see a lot of (Deven's) strength coming from her parents.'
This combination of pictures created on July 4, 2021 shows the rest of the Champlain South tower seen just before (top ) and as it is being demolished by a controlled explosion in Surfside, Florida, north of Miami Beach, late on July 4
This is the aftermath of the demolition. The entire building is now gone, with recovery efforts continuing
The tragedy has been difficult on the close-knit volleyball team, which met for practice Thursday night and allowed parents to participate. Everyone sat in a circle and held hands as they prayed. Many cried.
'Deven is such a hardworking and loving person,' her teammate Liyah Deveaux said Sunday. 'We can´t wait for her to get back on her feet. We love and miss her so much.'
A GoFundMe site has raised more than $100,000 for the family.
'We're really trying to help and be supportive, but we feel absolutely helpless that we can´t make it better,' Morgan said. 'Every single one of us would be in there digging through the rubble. If we could be there, we'd be doing it.'
What was left of the Miami condo was demolished with controlled charges Sunday night ahead of the impending Tropical Storm Elsa.
Officials moved quickly to raise the remaining structure because they feared winds from the storm would topple it on top of rescue crews.
An investigation into what caused the June 24 collapse is in its early stages. Champlain Towers South was built in 1981, and was undergoing a mandatory 40 year recertification when it collapsed.
Multiple inspection reports say the building's concrete structure had been corroded by floods, although investigators say it is still too early to pinpoint a cause.
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