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By Adriana Gomez Licon and Curt Anderson

The Associated Press

SURFSIDE, Fla. 鈥� A year ago, in the middle of the night, a 12-story oceanfront condo building in Surfside, Florida,聽came down聽with a thunderous roar, leaving a giant pile of rubble and claiming 98 lives. It was one of the deadliest structure collapses in U.S. history.

Each victim鈥檚 name was read aloud during a ceremony Friday to mark the somber anniversary. It was attended by political figures, first responders and family members of those who died at Champlain Towers South on June 24, 2021.

The ceremony came a day after a state judge approved one of the largest class action settlements of its kind:聽more than $1 billion聽to compensate victims鈥� families and survivors.

鈥淓xactly 365 days ago, my house imploded, my home collapsed with everything and everyone inside but me,鈥� said Raquel Oliveira, whose husband and 5-year-old son died in the collapse while she was visiting her mother. 鈥淚 am alive, and I have the chance to rediscover something that motivates me to smile again, to fight, to be a whole person.

鈥淟et鈥檚 not give up on justice, love, gratitude, forgiveness. Let鈥檚 not give up life. We have not come this far just to come this far.鈥�

The disaster, the largest non-hurricane emergency response in Florida history, drew rescue crews from across the U.S. and as far away as Israel to help local teams search for victims. They were honored Friday for their difficult work.

Before the public ceremony organized by the town of Surfside, there was a private torch-lighting at the time 鈥� about 1:25 a.m. 鈥� when the 136-unit condominium building fell a year ago.

First Lady Jill Biden was among speakers at the public event that also included Gov. Ron DeSantis.

鈥淲e stand by you today and always,鈥� Biden said during comments briefly interrupted by a standing ovation when she mentioned the firefighters 鈥渨ho spent weeks working to recover your loved ones.鈥�

鈥淚f there is something strong enough to help us carry this burden of grief forward, something to break its gravitational pull, it鈥檚 love,鈥� Biden said.

DeSantis recalled how he was awakened at 3 a.m. the day the building fell and increasingly realized the immense scope of the disaster as he traveled to Surfside. He thanked first responders and noted that the state budget he recently signed contains $1 million for a memorial to the 98 people lost.

鈥淲e are not going to forget what they meant to this community,鈥� the governor said.

There was an effort by many victims and family members to install a memorial at the site where the building once stood, but the land is being sold for $120 million to a Dubai developer. A memorial will likely be created nearby.

Only two teenagers and a woman survived the collapse, while others escaped from the portion of the building that initially remained standing. Images of one聽survivor鈥檚 rescue聽traveled widely, offering a glimmer of hope right after the collapse, but the long, grueling search produced mostly devastating results as families waited only to learn about聽the remains of their loved ones.

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, with the probe entering a new phase this month to cut and drill into concrete and steel. Champlain Towers South had a long history of maintenance problems, and shoddy construction techniques were used in the early 1980s. Other possible factors include sea level rise caused by climate change and damage caused by saltwater intrusion.

Those lost in the collapse included two sisters, 4 and 11, who were so tiny that they were buried in the same casket.

Lyla Thurber, 12, attended the ceremony with her family; each person wore a white T-shirt with photos of the young sisters with their parents. Lyla was close friends in school with the older sister, Lucia.

鈥淪he was happy, always smiling and playing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wanted to come here and talk to people so they could learn more about her.鈥�

Luis Bermudez, who lost his 26-year-old son, also named Luis, wept often as he spoke in celebration of his son, who he said taught people, himself included, to live without fear and without limits.

鈥淕od needed a special angel to help him and you were chosen,鈥� Bermudez said, and at the end held up large photographs of his son in each hand.

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, with the probe entering a new phase this month to cut and drill into concrete and steel. Champlain Towers South had a long history of maintenance problems, and shoddy construction techniques were used in the early 1980s. Other possible factors include sea level rise caused by climate change and damage caused by saltwater intrusion.

Pablo Langesfeld, the father of a 26-year-old lawyer who had married and moved to the building a few months before the collapse, said that for him closure will not come until that investigation is completed.

鈥淭his is a nightmare that never ends,鈥� Langesfeld said.

Although the investigation is expected to take years, a judge has been given credit for finalizing the compensation settlement, in less than a year.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman praised the dozens of lawyers involved, and a woman who lost her daughter called the judge and attorneys heroes in black robes and business suits.

Hanzman said the compensation deal was extraordinary in its scope and speed. Checks for victims could begin going out in September.

鈥淭his settlement is the best we can do,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a remarkable result.鈥�

Still, the wounds are still fresh for the hundreds of people who lost loved ones a year ago.

鈥淥ur family lost everything,鈥� said Kevin Spiegel, whose wife, Judy, died while he was traveling on business. 鈥淥ne year later, time has not healed my broken heart.鈥�

Editor鈥檚 note: Anderson reported from St. Petersburg.