On November 11, Mamadou Mouctar Balde returned to his Brooklyn apartment to find the building had collapsed while he was out.
His pregnant wife, Fatoumata Bah, was trapped inside.
Balde told reporters he felt "completely lost" searching for his wife and finding no one around.
Brooklyn collapse kills 8, injures 17
Rescuers pulled Bah out alive, and she's now recovering in the hospital with their unborn child safe.
The collapse took a heavy toll: eight people died, including two of Balde's cousins and two children, while 17 others were injured.
The tragedy has shaken the local community, with New York City's mayor expressing condolences to all affected families.