On June 24, 2021, the Surfside condo collapse forever changed the lives of 98 families. Among those affected was Mike Noriega, who lost his grandmother in the devastating tragedy. Four years later, Noriega is using his voice and his story to inspire others through faith, resilience, and his new book, Uncollapsible Soul.
In a heartfelt interview on Inside South Florida, Noriega shared how the tragedy transformed his life and set him on a mission to bring healing to others. “It hasn’t just changed my life, it’s transformed it,” he said. “There’s no going back.”
Noriega was among the first family members to arrive at the collapse site, where he witnessed the overwhelming destruction firsthand. His grandmother, the matriarch of his family and a second mother to him, was among those lost. Amid the heartbreak, Noriega turned to faith and found a message of hope at what became known as the Wall of Hope, a fence across the street from the site covered in flowers, messages, and photographs of the missing.
“But in the middle was a big banner that said Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and rescues those who are crushed in spirit.” And I realized, we all go through heartbreak… whether it's a burial, a betrayal, a breakup, or a breakdown of some kind, we all need that hope.”
Uncollapsible Soul offers stories from survivors and families, as well as Biblical principles for navigating personal grief, loss, and heartbreak, whether from a tragedy like Surfside or the universal experiences of breakups, betrayal, or breakdowns.
“That led me down the path of asking, how can I honor my grandmother’s legacy and tell the stories of those who passed and those who survived in the building, while also helping others heal on their own journey through biblical truth and principles, whether or not they were connected to the Surfside collapse,” Noriega said.
The book is available now wherever books are sold. You can follow Mike Noriega on social media at @themikenoriega for updates, encouragement, and additional resources.
