Surfside residents, families, and community partners gathered Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2026 at Veterans Park for a Moment of Reflection, marking the transition into the next phase of the Champlain Towers South Memorial project. The event provided an opportunity to pause, honor those lost, and look ahead with shared intention.
Rabbi Shea Rubinstein of The Shul offered the invocation, followed by remarks from Vice Mayor Tina Paul, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and Commissioners Gerardo Vildostegui and Nelly Velasquez. Members of the Memorial Committee, including Martin Langesfeld, Pablo Langesfeld, and Raquel Oliveira, also addressed the gathering. Pastor Ezequiel Fattore of Casa Church closed the program with a benediction.
As part of the project’s next phase, materials from the Champlain Towers South site have returned to Surfside and are currently being held at Veterans Park. These items will be incorporated into the Memorial, serving as symbols of remembrance, continuity, and the enduring connection to those honored.
The gathering allowed the community to collectively reflect, honor the lives lost, and look forward as the Memorial project moves ahead.