'Like a second chance': Florida disaster survivor

'Like a second chance': Florida disaster survivor

Albert Aguero, his wife and two children, were vacationing in his parents' apartment when they were startled awake by what felt like an earthquake.

They're survivors of the massive building collapse in a Miami suburb.

Matthew Larotonda reports.

As search and rescue efforts continue in this Miami suburb, and families of the victims look for answers, we're hearing more from those who survived -- how they got out, and for one family what they're calling a second chance at life.

Albert Aguero and his family were vacationing in his parents' apartment on the 11th floor when the building collapse jolted them awake.

They're from New Jersey.

This is his son, Justin Willis: JUSTIN: "So we walked into the hallway, right where the elevator would be and, once we turned left, you realized that the apartment next to you is basically gone.

It has to be.

Their door was caved in.

You could see out into the ocean basically from the top part of the building.

And the elevator shaft is gone.

The elevator door is basically on the floor." ALBERT: "Then we sprinted to the stairwell.

And when we got to the stairwell, we opened the door and that's when it really hit me because half the wall to the stairs are gone.

And we just got to get down an open-air staircase because now, now I'm realizing we're racing the clock because I think the rest of the building is coming down." ALBERT: "When we got down to about the third floor, there was an elderly woman.

She needed help.

So my son and I helped her get down to the first floor.

When we got down there, we realized that the first floor had collapsed a little bit by about three feet, and we had to crawl our way up the existing rubble.

Do it with an elderly woman as well, able to pull that off and then get to the pool deck." JUSTIN: "And then coming into the rescue center and seeing more 80-year-old ladies, 90-year-old ladies, that are just thankful to be here and crying and, you know, seeing the people that they used to walk up and down the beach with maybe 15 years, it makes your heart break, but at the same time, it makes you feel good that those are the people that you helped them see another day." ALBERT: "You feel like you've been given a second opportunity.

I don't know why.

What, what's our purpose?

Honestly, the fact that we survived and so many people didn't is definitely heartbreaking and, at the same time, a relief.

I don't know.

I'm happy the four of us made it.

Things could have been so different by like 15 feet.

That was the difference between us and the next apartment." Scores of people are still unaccounted for in the disaster.

Albert's family says they're proud of the rush for support from the community and first responders.