Remembering Pulse nightclub: 7 years after deadly attack in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. - Monday marked the seventh anniversary of the tragic 2016 mass shooting at Pulse nightclub, an LGBTQI+ club in downtown Orlando, where a gunman killed 49 people and hurt 53 others – then the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

The day's events included the unveiling of a 44-foot-wide mural, the ringing of church bells, a ceremony of remembrance at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and an overnight vigil at the Pulse site on S. Orange Avenue.

Over the weekend and throughout Monday, people stopped by the interim memorial outside the nightclub where two flowered wreaths – one labeled "survivors" and one labeled "angels" – were placed, alongside flowers, signs, notes, and other items. Others stopped to look at the photos, tributes, and other messages that have been part of the memorial for years.

At the Orlando Museum of Art, dozens gathered to see the unveiling of a mural dedicated to the Pulse victims, survivors, first responders, law enforcement officers, and healthcare professionals.  Included is a picture of each of the 49 who lost their lives.

In attendance was Brandon Wolfe, a survivor of the shooting. He said the way Orlando united months, and even years after, could prove as a roadmap for other communities to follow.

A city, a region, a community that says, 'We love you exactly as you are, we're gonna stand strong, we're gonna stand united, we're gonna have beautiful art even on our darkest days,' yea, I feel it. I feel the ‘Orlando United’ energy. I feel the ‘Orlando Strong’ energy, and I've always said that Orlando in many ways has shown us the blueprint for pushing back against hatred in this country," said Wolfe. 

"After seven years, our hearts remain broken from the senseless act of violence that took the lives of 49 innocent people and injured so many others," Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. "It is comforting to know that our community has not forgotten the pain and suffering of the families and survivors, for it is the only way that love will prevail over hate." 

An evening memorial ceremony, entitled "Strength," was held at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. It marked the first time that the memorial has not been held at the site of the shooting, citing safety and security concerns. The event was free to the public. 

"Seven years ago have passed since June 12th, 2016, and so much has changed in our world and our nation and our state," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, "but what hasn't changed is our city's strength.  That strength comes from the resilience of the survivors and the families of the 49 angels who've inspired our community through their perseverance despite facing unthinkable hardships."

"It still feels like yesterday, unfortunately," Pulse survivor India Godwin told FOX 35 News. "They say it gets easier; there’s some truth to it."

"We believe coming together in this space sends a powerful message to the heavens that precious moments in time are not forgotten," said Debra Bowie, onePULSE Foundation Executive Director, "and no matter how much time passes, the love that people experienced and received remains."

Throughout the day and night, the interim Pulse Memorial at the Pulse club site attracted hundreds of visitors. 

"We’re gonna honor every year. It's not just about my son, it’s about all that died," said Mina Justice, mother of Pulse victim Eddie Justice, who flew in from Atlanta to visit the memorial. "The importance of today is to never forget the 49 that died, we’re just gonna honor them the rest of our lives."

Earlier in the day, during a White House briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the Biden administration would pray for the families of the victims and "every survivor who still carries the trauma." 

"This Pride month, the Biden Harris administration is going to continue lifting the LGBTQI-plus community up and honor the victims who aren't here with us today," Jean-Pierre said.

Vice President Kamala Harris also tweeted, "Today, we continue to grieve and remember alongside their families, their friends, and the entire LGBTQI+ community. We must also meet this anniversary with more than words. We must act to save lives. Congress must pass commonsense gun safety reform. And President Biden will sign it into law."

Pulse Memorial Crosses

The Orange County Regional History Center will host the Pulse Memorial crosses from Saturday, June 10, through Monday, June 12, in honor of the 49 lives taken on June 12, 2016. 

The viewing of the memorial will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Monday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

CEO: Orlando Pulse Memorial to be scaled back

Seven years after Pulse, there is no permanent memorial to commemorate the Pulse shooting. 

The onePulse Foundation was created to organize the building and funding of a permanent memorial and museum to honor the victims. However, those plans have been delayed due to ongoing discussions about where to build it and acquiring the land, the estimated cost to build it amid inflation, and whether a memorial should be built (The Community Coalition Against a Pulse Museum does not want a memorial built and believes the raised funds should go to the survivors).

In April, it was announced that onePulse's co-founder Barbara Poma had left the organization.

"The Foundation is grateful to Barbara for her many contributions, and commitment to onePULSE, and for being a lifetime advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community," the Foundation said in a statement.

A month later, the foundation announced that it was unable to reach an agreement with the owners of Pulse to build a permanent memorial, forcing organizers to shift their plans to another spot. 

Executive Director Deborah Bowie, who stepped in and Poma left, said plans for a national memorial are moving forward, but that the memorial itself would be "scaled back" from the initial ideas and plans.

"Change, its part of life, isn't it?"she said. "So, I think we're not unique in that a lot of organizations had plans before COVID, and then after COVID you have to really re-think them."

She said the new plans would use an existing warehouse on the museum's property, though it's still being determined on where to specifically build the memorial – closer to the nightclub, the museum, or somewhere in the middle.

RELATED:

• Remembering Pulse: Sunday marks six years since deadly Orlando nightclub shooting
• Pulse owners, onePULSE Foundation fail to reach agreement on memorial site to honor victims

Remembering the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting

• Stanley Almodovar III, 23
• Amanda L. Alvear, 25
• Oscar A. Aracena Montero, 26
• Rodolfo Ayala Ayala, 33
• Antonio Davon Brown, 29
• Darryl Roman Burt II, 29
• Angel Candelario-Padro, 28
• Juan Chavez Martinez, 25
• Luis Daniel Conde, 39
• Cory James Connell, 21
• Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25
• Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32
• Simón Adrian Carrillo Fernández, 31
• Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25
• Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26
• Peter Ommy Gonzalez Cruz, 22
• Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22
• Paul Terrell Henry, 41
• Frank Hernandez, 27
• Miguel Angel Honorato, 30
• Javier Jorge Reyes, 40
• Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19
• Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30
• Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25
• Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32
• Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21
• Brenda Marquez McCool, 49
• Gilberto R. Silva Menendez, 25
• Kimberly Jean Morris, 37
• Akyra Monet Murray, 18
• Luis Omar Ocasio Capo, 20
• Geraldo A. Ortiz Jimenez, 25
• Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36
• Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32
• Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35
• Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25
• Jean Carlos Nieves Rodríguez, 27
• Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-Rosado, 35
• Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24
• Yilmary Rodríguez Solivan, 24
• Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34
• Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33
• Martin Benitez Torres, 33
• Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24
• Juan Pablo Rivera Velázquez, 37
• Luis Sergio Vielma, 22
• Franky Jimmy DeJesus Velázquez, 50
• Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37
• Jerald Arthur Wright, 31

Pulse survivor: ‘We’re still going through it’

FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte talked to Orlando Torres, who was at Pulse nightclub the night of the shooting.

"The gunman came in and we heard the popping sounds," he said. "I hear him walking around. I feel him touch my pocket and my heartbeat starts going. I thought my whole back was going to be full of bullets, but I didn’t twitch or move. I played dead and he left me alone."

Seven years later, he said survivors are still dealing with the trauma, but are grateful that the community is still showing up to support not only those lost, but those who survived.

49 ribbons

Artist Jay Critchley from Provincetown, Mass. came to Orlando to install 49 ribbons in honor of the 49 people killed in the shooting. 

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer posted photos of the art installation and said in a tweet: "Seven years have passed since the Pulse tragedy, but our city continued tor eceive love from around the national and around the world."