Man with Chicago ties confirmed dead in Surfside condo collapse
CHICAGO - Another person with Chicago ties was confirmed dead in the Surfside condominium collapse.
The body of Richard Augustine, 77, was recovered from the rubble on July 6 and identified by Miami-Dade Police on Sunday, July 11.
"I don't feel like it's gonna be a good outcome because I know where he was in the building," his daughter Debbie Hill had said. "And I know how the building collapsed."
Hill told FOX 32 News she was supposed to pick up her father from the airport in Chicago the day of the collapse. She says Augustine had just returned to his condo from seeing his son and was eager to visit Chicago next.
Augustine was getting ready to retire in October. Hill says her father lived with a roommate on an upper floor of the building. His roommate was also missing.
Augustine grew up in River Grove, attending Leyden High School. He then moved to Palatine and Hoffman Estates. He eventually moved to Florida, continuing to work in the air freight industry.
Two other people with Chicago ties were also confirmed dead in the collapse.
Search and Rescue personnel work after the partial collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on June 24, 2021 in Surfside, Florida. It is unknown at this time how many people were injured as search-and-rescue effort continues wit