An interim memorial to honor the
victims and survivors of the Pulse shooting opened to the public
Tuesday in Orlando, Florida.
Barbara Poma, owner of the Pulse
nightclub and founder of the onePULSE Foundation, was on hand to
dedicate the memorial.
She praised those who helped create the
design, including survivors, first-responders and family members of
victims.
“They gave selflessly to make
decisions for those who could not,” she said during the dedication
ceremony.
The memorial consists of a wall that
wraps around the now shuttered gay nightclub where 49 people died and
dozens were wounded when a lone gunman opened fire in June of 2016.
The wall is adorned with images of LGBT Pride events and vigils held
after the massacre. Visitors can sign a guestbook and leave a
message.
OnePULSE said in a statement that it
hopes the memorial will “give families, survivors, first responders
and the thousands of people who come each year a space to pay their
respects and reflect.”
A permanent memorial and museum is
being planned.