Authorities in South Florida recovered the body of Cassondra ‘Cassie’ Stratton, the wife of a political strategist from Colorado who had been staying at the Surfside condo during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 40-year-old’s body was identified on Sunday. Her family thanked all those who prayed for her after the building collapse last month and "reiterated their eternal gratitude to the rescue workers whose courage and determination was unmatched."
Her husband, Michael Stratton, told KDVR that he was on the phone with his wife at the time of the collapse.
"She described that the building was shaking and then…the phone went dead," he said.
The death toll in the Miami-area condominium collapse climbed to 95 Tuesday as officials planned to step up security at the site to make sure the personal possessions of the victims are preserved for their families. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said 14 people remain unaccounted for.
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"Cassie meant so much to so many, and everything to me," Michael Stratton said in a statement obtained by the Colorado Sun. "Hearts around the world are breaking as friends and family accept the loss of a bright and kind soul with an adventurous spirit. That spirit now lives in all our hearts as we will forever remember the love she gave and keep her memory alive in stories that make us laugh and smile."
The Associated Press contributed to this report