Branden Colvin Jr has been sleeping outside of the six-storey apartment building that collapsed in Davenport, Iowa, in hopes of hearing his father’s voice.
His father, Branden Colvin Sr is one of the three residents that have been missing since the building collapsed on Sunday (28 May).
“I know my dad’s in there and there’s nothing I can do,” Mr Colvin Jr told ABC News.
Mr Colvin Sr lived on the fourth floor of The Davenport that, for unknown reasons, partially collapsed this past weekend.
Mr Colvin Jr and his mother, Desiree Banks, tried to call Mr Colvin Sr after the building fell but couldn’t. Once they reached the site of the building, they saw the apartment where Mr Colvin Sr lived was gone.
“I just want to talk to him, give him a hug, hear his voice, anything,” Mr Colvin Jr said to ABC News.
The 18-year-old is supposed to be graduating from Rock Island High School on Saturday but for now, he is sleeping outside of Davenport City Hall on 4th Street, according to local news outlet Quad City Times.
So far, nine people have been rescued from the building.
Eight people were rescued within a day of the collapse and city officials were ready to demolish the building by Tuesday until a ninth survivor was found late on Monday.
Families of victims, like Mr Colvin Jr, are urging officials to continue the search for their family members and not rush to demolish the building.
However, the state of the building may be too dangerous for authorities to search as it can topple down any minute.
“If they told me I could, I’ll run in there right now,” Mr Colvin Jr told CNN. “I haven’t slept. I have been out here three days, at night, all night, just waiting for anything.”
Mr Colvin Jr spent Monday night sleeping in his father’s car which was parked near the scene. His mother, Ms Banks, told the Quad City Times, that her son told her he could smell his father’s familiar scent in the car.
Ms Banks described Mr Colvin Sr as, “a good man” who, “loved his family and loved to spend time with his family.”
She said Mr Colvin Sr was always there for his five children.
