Community, Businesses Step Up To Help Former Residents Of Dallas Apartment Destroyed In Crane Collapse
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - As Elan City Lights residents wait to get more of their belonging and cars from the parking garage after a crane collapse destroyed their apartment building on Sunday, Junne 8, killing one tenant, the Dallas community is continuing to try and help them in any way they can.
Thursday night, several local businesses came together to treat the residents to dinner, drinks, massages, manicures and makeup.
It was a night of pampering organized by the local Dallas company Rent My Wardrobe.
With everything that the residents have been through, the businesses thought they could use a night out.
"It's going to make me tear up because this is what it's all about," Rent My Wardrobe Founder Rachel Sipperley said. "All of the other stuff doesn't matter."
At the event, residents shared their personal stories.
"When I first heard how horrible it was, there were times where I just kept thinking, 'What if I had been there. If I opened the door what would I have seen knowing that the one across the hall from me was completely gone'," Lauren Burke said.
She's thankful she wasn't there.
Lili Chaves was home.
My husband and I were on the 5th floor," Chaves said. "All of the sudden we heard a loud thud. My husband is grabbing my hand saying we need to get out of here it's not safe."
That night, with only the clothes on their back, they headed to a hotel.
"I look to my right and I see this man with hospital socks on," Chaves said. "I said hey did you get hurt at our building - are you okay and he said I'm okay, but I lost my fiancé today"
That man was the fiancé of Kiersten Smith, 29, who died in the crane collapse.
"That to me just put everything in perspective... because it doesn't matter how hard your experience has been.. there's always someone waiting in line quietly that's had it way worse," Chaves said.
In the days that followed, the Dallas community has stepped up to help all involved by donating clothes, toiletries and household items.
"So many people helped just even with their own homes," Burke said. "Offering rooms and couches. It's more than I could have ever expected."
"This whole experience has really highlighted people's kindness," Chaves said.