Building collapse victim’s son: “He wasn’t just my dad, he was my best friend”

Nick Altman describes his dad Michael, 50, as a selfless man who had a love for life, racquetball, and his family.

“Every success I had I would grab my phone or drive by to see him, every troubling situation, I spoke to him right away.”

Michael would text his son twice a day to check in, once in the morning and once at night, and the morning. After the collapse, the chilling silence of his phone told Nick something was wrong.

“He was a selfless, happy person who always sees the light no matter how deep in the trenches he is,” Nick said.

Nick told CNN his dad was a dual citizen and came to the US from Costa Rica when he was four, and the condo on the 11th floor of the building had been in their family since the 1980s when it was built.

Michael was a champion racquetball player in his younger days, according to Nick, and shared that gift with his two sons, who frequently let him use his skills against them.

“Playing racquetball with my dad is one of my favorite memories,” Altman said.

“He taught me and my brother Jeffery how to play racquetball and playing games of 21 trying to beat him… we never beat him once.”

Michael was also a great friend to his neighbors in the complex. Nick said several survivors asked for him when he got to safety.

“He’s just a one-of-a-kind guy, no one can ever replace him or be like him in my life, I’ve never met someone as lovable as him,” Altman said.

Michael is survived by his sons, his parents Anita and Allen, and his sister Debbie.