The South Florida community has become a sanctuary for Orainis Rangel, the 15-year-old survivor of a heart-wrenching murder-suicide in Orlando last month in which her mother was killed, loved ones tell NBC6.
On July 30, Leinys Gonzalez Bandres, 37, was tragically shot and killed by her roommate, 34-year-old Yeans Cardenas Cuesta, who then took his own life, according to Orange County deputies.
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WATCH HEREAccording to family who spoke with NBC6, Rangel, who had relocated to the U.S. from Venezuela with her mother just about a year ago, witnessed the devastating event.
Now living in South Florida, Rangel finds comfort with her grandmother, Xiomara Erigoyen, who lives in Miami-Dade County.
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In an emotional interview with NBC6, Erigoyen, Bandres' former mother-in-law, expressed her shock.
“I couldn’t believe it. You never imagine something like this happening to a loved one,” she said in Spanish.
She poignantly described Rangel's ongoing pain.
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“At times I feel that she gets lost in reality, and she thinks that her Mom is alive," she told NBC6. "And then she realizes her Mom is dead, and she says, ‘Grandmother, is it a lie? Is it my fault? Maybe I should have jumped in front so maybe he wouldn’t have shot her.'"
Danit Ovadia and Ayala Avroya, Erigoyen’s family friends based in South Florida, have been instrumental in rallying community support for Rangel.
They emphasized to NBC6 the urgent need for a structured approach to aid families grappling with similar traumas. They say they’re stepping in where they see a need.
“If something happens, [there should be] a follow through, a whole ball of things that you can give them and say, ‘this is where you go, this is what you do, this is your next step,'" Ovadia said. "That one umbrella that keeps everything in one place and provides it to a family in trauma."
“This should not happen in a way that a child, no matter what their status, where they're from, goes lost in tragedy. And no one is paying attention. In any sector, in any way,” Avroya said.
Paul Schwienler, a South Florida-based psychologist specializing in traumatic stress, spoke about the profound impact such events have on survivors.
“Remember everything shuts down and hides,” he said. “… The individuals are seeking how they can be safe in the next 24 hours. Don't be afraid to reach out to people, especially the ones you know.”
You can find more information on how to support the community effort to rally around the 15-year-old here.
