GoFundMe Launched For Jamaican Victim Of Miami Bridge Collapse

By NAN News Editor

News Americas, MIAMI, FL, Weds. Mar. 28, 2018:  A GoFundMe has been launched to help with the funeral expenses of the 37-year-old Caribbean victim who was among the six dead in the Miami bridge collapse.

The fundraiser for Navarro ‘Varo’ Brown was started by his brother Anthony, who said the funds from the campaign will be going towards getting the Fort Lauderdale resident,  the “proper burial he deserves” and also assisting the family with the financial constraints they are experiencing because (of) his death.

So far the fundraiser has raised $5,850 of its $50,000 goal in eight days.

Bridge worker Brown was among those who died in the collapse of the 950-ton span Florida International University, (FIU), pedestrian walkway at Southwest 8th Street and 109th Avenue on March 15th, according to Michael Biesiada, a spokesman for Structural Technologies VSL and the Miami Herald.

Biesiada has not said exactly what Brown and the other employees were doing on the bridge when it collapsed, but he confirmed that Structural Technologies VSL was working on the project “providing installation support for our products.”

News Americas has found that Brown was from May Pen, in the parish of Clarendon in central Jamaica, and went to Lennon High School. He lived in Fort Lauderdale.

“Navaro can be described as one of the most genuine and kindest person,” his brother wrote. “His love for his family was the most admirable. He was hard working and was very dedicated to taking care of his family. He is loved by many and will be missed dearly.”

The collapse occurred at about 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. March 15, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Division Chief Paul Estopinan said.

FIU had touted the bridge to be one of the first of its kind, tweeting that it was swung into place on Saturday, March 10th. It was built by MCM Construction and by the FIGG Engineering-Bridge Group. Barnhart Crane & Rigging moved the bridge into place on Saturday.

It was funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation TIGER Grant, Florida Department of Transportation, FIU and the City of Sweetwater to the tune of $14.2 million.