Argentine photographer Graciela Cattarossi, 48, her daughter Stella, 7, her sister Andrea, who was visiting them from Argentina, and her two parents, Graciela and Gino, disappeared in the building that suddenly collapsed last Thursday in Miami.
Cattarossi is a single mother who built her photography business from scratch to portray her clients' lifestyles.
But the most important thing for her is her daughter and she only thinks about how she can give her a better life, according to
people who know her
told the
Miami Herald
.
[Experts point to possible flaws that could have brought down the Miami building from the video of its collapse]
Graciela Cattarossi and her 7-year-old daughter Stella, who disappeared in the apartment building collapse in Surfside, Miami.Mariela Porras via Twitter
Vera said that Cattarossi is a dedicated mother whose devotion to her daughter is unmatched.
He also described her as a hard worker and as a beautiful person who was loved by everyone.
"His devotion to his daughter was unprecedented,"
Kathryn Rooney Vera, who was a neighbor of Cattarossi in 2008 at the
Grand Venetian
building
in Miami Beach
, told the quoted outlet
.
Photographs of unlocated residents after the Surfside, Florida apartment tower collapse, including a picture of Stella, Graciela Catarrossi's daughter (bottom left).
Taken June 26, 2021 AFP via Getty Images / AFP via Getty Images
The names of the five members of this Argentine family appear on the lists of people not located after the collapse of the apartment tower that was located in front of the sea.
They lived in apartment 501 of the Champlain Towers in Surfside.
Authorities are still searching for the whereabouts of 150 people and have confirmed at least 11 deaths as of Monday night.
Vera spoke of her friend's generosity
as she recalled how she had given her a maternity photo session when she became pregnant with what would be her fourth child.
Calls from the first firefighters who arrived at the collapsed Surfside building come to light
June 28, 202102: 10
Cattarossi and Vera exchanged text messages Wednesday night, just hours before the building collapsed.
The photographer did a shoot with Vera during her fourth pregnancy a few years ago and gave her the images as a gift to celebrate what they believed would be Vera's last child.
“She was very happy for me.
She said, 'I'm ecstatic!'
She worked hard for everything she had and was very generous, "Vera told the aforementioned medium.
[A 2018 report warned of structural damage to the building that collapsed in Miami]
She was also a fully adapted and devoted immigrant to her country.
“She loved everything we stand for.
He used to say 'Americans should understand what they have and hold on to it and fight for their freedom.'
He loved the essence of America, "Vera explained.
With information from AP and Miami Herald.