Nine years after the Pulse nightclub shooting shook the heart of the LGBTQ community, survivors and families are returning to the site in Orlando, one last time.
The building, where 49 people were killed and 53 injured in what was then the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, will soon be torn down to make way for a permanent memorial. Orlando purchased the property in 2023 for $2 million, with a $12 million memorial expected to open by 2027.
This week, about 250 survivors and family members are walking through the nightclub in small groups. Family members of the 49 victims can bring up to six guests. Survivors, many of whom have become vocal advocates for gun law reform, are invited with one companion and will also have a chance to speak with FBI agents who investigated the massacre. Brandon Wolf, who survived by hiding in a bathroom, has chosen not to return. Now with the Human Rights Campaign, he said,
“The site of the tragedy is where I feel closest to the people who were stolen from me. For survivors, the last time they were in that space was the worst night possible. It will be really hard to be in that space again.”
The Pulse shooting left a deep scar, but this memorial aims to honor love, not fear.
