Boy, 15, who was pulled from the rubble of Miami condo collapse reunites with his rescuers 

The teen boy who was pulled from the rubble of the Miami condo collapse that killed his mother has reunited with his rescuers.

Jonah Handler, 15, has been pictured in new photos weeks after he was filmed being saved from the razed Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida. His mom Stacie Fang, 54, was the first victim identified to have been killed in the disaster.

The dramatic photos were posted on Sunday as an update to a GoFundMe fundraiser set up by his father Neil Handler – who added a message thanking the rescuers for saving his son.

‘The first time we saw these nameless heroes was on the news reels as they were pulling my boy out of the rubble,’ Neil Handler wrote.

‘Now with God’s grace we stand next to each other sharing thanks and hope. Jonah is recovering from his physical injuries but as we all know, bitter sweet is the long road ahead without out his mom Stacie in our lives.’

Jonah Handler, 15, has been pictured in new photos weeks after he was filmed being saved from the razed Champlain Towers South building in Surfside

Jonah Handler, 15, has been pictured in new photos weeks after he was filmed being saved from the razed Champlain Towers South building in Surfside

The dramatic photos were posted on Sunday as an update to a GoFundMe fundraiser set up by his father Neil Handler

The dramatic photos were posted on Sunday as an update to a GoFundMe fundraiser set up by his father Neil Handler

Jonah, center, is one of the only people to have been pulled from the rubble alive - as no living victims have been recovered since the morning after the collapse

Jonah, center, is one of the only people to have been pulled from the rubble alive – as no living victims have been recovered since the morning after the collapse

Jonah's mother Stacie Fang, 54, was the first victim identified to have been killed in the disaster

Jonah’s mother Stacie Fang, 54, was the first victim identified to have been killed in the disaster

Neil Handler wrote that the entire Handler-Fang family has ‘no words to express the gratitude and respect for these men and women who allowed God to use them as His hands to rescue Jonah.’

‘We have also been overwhelmed and humbled by all those who have supported us with donations, food, clothing, and care (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) during this unimaginable time in his and our lives,’ he wrote.

‘A very special thanks to all of the 1st responders, especially Dave, Charlie, Kenny, Corey, Cesar and Alex.’ 

DailyMail.com has reached out to Neil Handler for more information and additional comment about the reunion.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said 97 people have now been confirmed dead after the building collapse while eight people remain unaccounted for. At least 15 lawsuits had been filed in connection with the condo collapse as of Sunday,

Jonah was sitting in his bedroom next to his mother when the building gave way on June 24 and she was killed, according to a lawsuit filed by the family.

‘They free-fell to what they thought was certain death,’ the lawsuit filed on July 8 in Miami-Dade County’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court states.

The legal action names as a defendant the Champlain Towers South Condominium Association. It was filed by Neil Handler and Stacie’s brother Kevin Fang.

‘Stacie and Jonah landed several floors below and miraculously were still alive,’ according to the lawsuit. 

Dramatic images show first responders pull Jonah out of the rubble hours after the building collapsed

Dramatic images show first responders pull Jonah out of the rubble hours after the building collapsed

Rescue crews who responded to the scene pried Jonah out of the rubble using Air Jacks after he was found trapped under the frame of his bed

Rescue crews who responded to the scene pried Jonah out of the rubble using Air Jacks after he was found trapped under the frame of his bed

The boy, a 10th grader at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, was then taken to hospital with broken bones

The boy, a 10th grader at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, was then taken to hospital with broken bones

Rescue crews who responded to the scene pried Jonah out of the rubble using Air Jacks after he was found trapped under the frame of his bed.

‘Jonah lived, but with devastating injuries,’ according to the court papers. ‘Tragically, his mother was killed.’

According to the lawsuit, Jonah was left ‘physically, emotionally, and psychologically permanently injured.’ He appears to be wearing some sort of medical brace in the new photos.

Jonah was pulled from the wreckage by first responders along with the help of man who was walking his dog just as the building came down, Nicholas Balboa.

Jonah is pictured with his mother Stacie Fang who died from her injuries after the building collapse

Jonah is pictured with his mother Stacie Fang who died from her injuries after the building collapse

Neil Handler and Stacie's brother Kevin Fang have since filed a lawsuit after the building collapse

Neil Handler and Stacie’s brother Kevin Fang have since filed a lawsuit after the building collapse

Describing the moment he spotted Jonah, Balboa said it appeared the boy was sleeping when the building came down.

‘There was a bed frame and a mattress that were laying above him, so I could only assume that that was his bed, judging by the size of the mattress,’ Balboa told WPLG.

‘You know, so he was probably just sleeping and then all of a sudden the building gave way.’

The teen stuck his hand up through the rubble when he was spotted. Video from the scene showed Jonah being carried out by firefighters on a stretcher.

‘He was saying: ‘Please don’t leave me, don’t leave me, don’t leave me.’ So I told him: ‘We’re right here. We won’t leave you.’ That’s when I tried to signal police officers and firefighters to get over there,’ Balboa said.

People visit the memorial that has pictures of some of the victims from the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on Thursday

People visit the memorial that has pictures of some of the victims from the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on Thursday

A message is written in the memorial that has photographs of some of the victims from the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on Thursday

A message is written in the memorial that has photographs of some of the victims from the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on Thursday

People have written messages to the victims of the Miami condo collapse as seen on Thursday

People have written messages to the victims of the Miami condo collapse as seen on Thursday

People light candles in front of a makeshift memorial for the victims of the Champlain Towers South condo building collapse, as they gather for a multi-faith vigil near the site

People light candles in front of a makeshift memorial for the victims of the Champlain Towers South condo building collapse, as they gather for a multi-faith vigil near the site

Military vet Randy Alcala raises his hand, center, as he prays along with other well-wishers and mourners at a multi-faith vigil for victims of the Champlain Towers South condo building collapse, alongside to a makeshift memorial near the site where the building once stood

Military vet Randy Alcala raises his hand, center, as he prays along with other well-wishers and mourners at a multi-faith vigil for victims of the Champlain Towers South condo building collapse, alongside to a makeshift memorial near the site where the building once stood

Sophia Pelayo and Dislamy Pelayo visit the memorial that has pictures of some of the victims from the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on Thursday

Sophia Pelayo and Dislamy Pelayo visit the memorial that has pictures of some of the victims from the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on Thursday

Excavating machinery continues to dig through the ruins of the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on Thursday

Excavating machinery continues to dig through the ruins of the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on Thursday

The boy, a 10th grader at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, was then taken to hospital with broken bones.

‘He said his mother was in the apartment with him, so I couldn’t see her or hear her, so I have no idea what her status was, but I do pray that she is alright,’ Balboa said.

‘As for him, you know, he’s a guardian angel. That’s all I can say. Given what happened, he came out unscathed.’

After his rescue, Fang’s sister Virginia Borges told the Washington Post the teen had been asking for his mother while he recovered in hospital.

‘He was rescued, but he has no idea what happened to his mother. Nobody has any idea what happened to her. It’s like she just disappeared,’ she said at the time.

‘He wants to know what happened to his mother. We all want to know.’

The Associated Press reported earlier on Thursday that eight people tied to the building remained unaccounted for as of Thursday while seven bodies had yet to be identified.

However, Miami-Dade Police said on Thursday night that two more victims had been identified. It was not immediately clear if that would change the number of people who remain unaccounted for.

If all of the victims who have yet to be identified match the identities of the people who remain unaccounted for, then crews would theoretically only be searching for one remaining victim. 

The victims who were identified on Thursday were Rosa Saez, 70, and Miguel Leonardo Kaufman, 65, whose bodies were recovered last week.

source: dailymail.co.uk