Surfside collapse rescue worker ends 12-hour shift looking 'defeated' in heartbreaking video
A TikTok video has been going viral for a few days now as it shows a worker helping in searching and rescuing survivors of the partially collapsed Miami condo in Surfside, Florida. What's caught people's attention is the worker, who according to the original post-maker looks exhausted after ending his 12-hour shift of rescuing survivors. Social media has also chimed in with how sad and discouraged the unidentified worker looks. And although his wife commented under the video gushing about what an 'amazing hardworking husband' he is, the internet is devastated for the worker's 'defeated' look captured in the video.
The video comes in the aftermath of the June 24 tragedy where the condo's 55 out of 136 units came tearing down shortly after midnight. As of now, no survivors have been reported from the remains of the 12-story building, with roughly around 150 people still unaccounted for as search and rescue teams are finding bodies and identifying victims every day. While the cause for collapse is unknown, in the wake of allegations, reports of "structural damage" and permit fraud due to faulty sewer lines have also been reported. With 18 people confirmed dead, residents of the tower's sister buildings have also been evacuating. Amidst the tragedy, this worker's expressions seem to have added to the heartbreak.
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Posted by @pichichipixx, the text overlay in the TikTok video reads: “This guy finished a 12-hour shift looking for survivors in the rubble. He looks exhausted.” The worker can be seen clad in full gear with his helmet off as he walks away from the disaster site. He walks slowly, focuses pinned nowhere particular, as onlookers on two sides of the road watch him curiously. The man's sullen, devastated expression is what seems to have touched social media as the video has since been liked over 500,000 times, and viewed more than 4.4 million times since it was first shared on the platform on Wednesday, June 30.
Tiktok users commented how the worker "He looks tired as well as defeated.” Another added: "He looks extremely sad." A third user also said: "That isn’t just exhaustion, it’s heartbreak as well." Another TikTok user claiming to be the worker's wife however had only cheerful words to lift others' spirits cup as she replying under the original video how the worker is an “amazingly hardworking husband.” The wife, who goes by the TikTok username @laurennicle119, also shared: "We are missing so much! I’m so proud of him,” she said.
The video comes as NPR reports how summer storms have “drastically slowed recovery efforts” and that “crews are forced to stop working whenever the summer storms roll in, which has typically been in the late afternoon.” Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett also relayed suffering families' frustration at having “to halt the grueling rescue mission because of the inclement weather." “There was frustration. There was a little anger,” said Burkett, expressing that families want workers to work through the storms. Complaints such as workers “are already risking their lives anyway. They’re working under a building that could fall down. Why do we have to stop for lightning?” also came into light.