She would write letters and be there in front of any reporter or camera to make sure that the responsible person is held accountable. It's what keeps me going.Pablo Rodriguez Elena Blasser, Elena Chavez and John smile with Pablo Rodriguez.SURFSIDE FLORIDA Elena Blasser, a water-loving woman, loved that her condo at Champlain Towers South on Surfside, Florida had views of the ocean and the pool. Her son is still haunted by the memory of those views. Pablo Rodriguez, 40, said that you could see the cracks in the pool deck from up there. He stood just blocks from the site where his 64-year old mother's building collapsed last Thursday as many residents slept at 1:30 am. Blassers was where Elena Chavez, an 88-year old grandmother, was staying that night. Both women are now among 150 people still missing from the Surfside building collapse. 11 people were confirmed dead, and an extensive search operation is ongoing. Rodriguez doesn't believe they will be found alive. Rodriguez is calling for justice for his grandmother's death and asking for accountability. He wants to know why a building that houses hundreds of people could fall in the middle night without warning. The Miami Herald reported that concerns regarding the building's safety have been raised multiple times over the years. This includes a 2018 inspection report which showed a major mistake in its construction, and photos taken by a pool contractor showing standing water in the garage. Two days prior to the collapse, the contractor raised concerns about cracked concrete beneath the pool. Rodriguez broke down and said, "What would your mother do if she were here?" She would write letters, be there for every reporter and cameraman, and ensure that the responsible person is held accountable. It's what keeps me going.Chandan Khanna / AFP through Getty Images Search teams and rescuers search for survivors in the partially-collapsed 12 story Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside, Florida on June 29, 2013.Rodriguez, a Miami-born attorney, knew that the building was in trouble. He had seen it firsthand. Rodriguez, his wife and 6-year-old son gathered with their mother every week to visit the Surfside home. They often went to the beach or enjoyed the pool. Rodriguez stated that you would see cracks in their pool deck and water in the garage. You would also see the paint they had painted, which would cause the building to collapse. Rodriguez stated that what I really want is for prosecutors to get involved and investigate. If there was negligence and the building isn't standing anymore, then that is for them to decide. However, if there was, Rodriguez expressed hope that they would investigate and hold those responsible accountable. Rodriguez said that he has only been hearing from the media about the circumstances surrounding the collapse. Rodriguez stated that every piece of information that is released is more disconcerting.Chandan Khanna / AFP through Getty Images Search teams and rescuers search for survivors in the partially-collapsed 12 story Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside, Florida on June 29, 2013.USA Today reported Monday that the condo association president had warned residents that basement damage had become much worse in April. He also noted that repairs would cost $16.2 million. Rodriguez stated that Rodriguez doesn't understand why the board allowed the building in such a bad state. They didn't intend for the building to fall down. But they received over a million dollars each year in maintenance fees. Where was that money going, I don't think? Rodriguez stated that it wasn't going to maintenance, despite the photos and the state of the building. Rodriguez said that she spoke often with several owners about mismanagement and misappropriation of funds. Rodriguez wants to bring attention to mismanagement even though he is living through a personal nightmare. He said that this is the only reason I do it. Over the years, I've seen many tragedies on television. The ones that aren't being talked about often go unreported.Courtesy Pablo Rodriguez Blasser. Chavez and John Rodriguez swim together.It's not easy. Since the five-day collapse, he has slept for five hours. His 6-year-old son isn't sure what happened and continues to FaceTime his grandmother. The 6-year old also refuses to be left alone and crawls into bed with his parents every morning for the first times in years. Rodriguez described his grandmother and mother as independent and fun-loving. Blasser loved the ocean, while Chavez traveled to Europe every year. Both lived apart and loved their family. He said they would always be together. BuzzFeed News shared photos of Rodriguez' brother in DC. He captured the family enjoying a photo shoot on the beach and cuddling and kissing Rodriguez during family holiday celebrations.Blasser and Pablo Rodriguez Chavez, Courtesy
