Vanderbilt senior identified as Surfside condo collapse victim

SURFSIDE, Fla. – “To know Andreas was to love Andreas.”

Those are words family shared about Andreas Giannitsopoulos, 21, who was identified Wednesday night as one of the victims killed in the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside.

Giannitsopoulos, of Houston, was heading into his senior year studying economics at Vanderbilt University, his family shared.

He was staying with Manny LaFont, his father’s best friend, in apartment 801 of the Champlain Towers South, according to a GoFundMe page set up to support the family. LaFont’s body was also found in the rubble.

“He was kind, compassionate, dedicated, and loving. He put others first always and never hesitated to do so,” a statement from Giannitsopoulos’ family read. “Andreas was a strong Greek Orthodox believer who is now in heaven with God and his godfather. He spent his life teaching others how to be selfless in everything they do.

“His family is hoping people will live with honor on remembrance of Andreas.”

Giannitsopoulos is among 18 confirmed dead a week after the condo building suddenly came crashing down overnight.

Another 145 people remain unaccounted for as of Thursday morning.