SURFSIDE, Fla. — The mother of a boy seen pulled from the rubble of Champlain Towers South has been identified as one of the people killed when part of the high-rise fell.
Several local media outlets report Stacy Fang, 54, is among the four who died in the tragic collapse, per the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office.
WFOR's Frances Wang adds the 54-year-old mother died from her injuries after being transported Thursday to an area hospital.
The moment Fang's teenage son was pulled from the rubble was caught on camera as first responders worked to remove him from the debris.
Nicholas Balboa says he heard the boy yelling after the 12-story condominium collapsed and worked to get him the help he needed.
"I was able to hear the boy that was pulled from the rubble yelling. As I got closer I was able to see his hand sticking through the rubble, you know, waving," Balboa said.
That's when he began climbing up the pile of twisted metal and concrete to help rescue the person on the other side of the cries for help.
He was yelling "please don't leave me," according to Balboa, who says he used the light on his phone to alert first responders to the boy.
Before receiving the devastating news of her death, The Washington Post spoke to Fang's sister, Virginia Borges, who was searching for more information.
"He was rescued, but he has no idea what happened to his mother," Borges told the outlet. "Nobody has any idea what happened to her. It's like she just disappeared."
The Miami Herald obtained the following statement from Fang's family:
"There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Stacie. The members of the Fang and Handler family would like to express our deepest appreciation for the outpouring of sympathy, compassion and support we have received. The many heartfelt words of encouragement and love have served as a much needed source of strength during this devastating time. On behalf of Stacie's son, Jonah, we ask you new to please respect our privacy to grieve and to try to help each other heal."
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