Orlando nightclub shooting that happened on June 12, 2016, was the deadliest mass shooting in the USA at that time. It took 49 lives and affected hundreds, if not thousands. Two years after this horrific tragedy, those who survived still carry it with them.
A year ago, a company called "Dear World" teamed up with photographer Daymon Gardner to create a photoshoot titled "Dear Orlando", honoring the victims and their families. "Dear World honors the people who passed away, saved lives, comforted the injured and buried loved ones," Robert X. Fogarty, Dear World founder, told Orlando Weekly. The project focuses on people who were affected by the horrific loss. It recounts experiences of those who went through the bloodshed, as well as people who helped the victims. Despite the tremendous loss, "Dear Orlando" shows that those who were lost are not forgotten and, above all, teaches us not to forget, as painful and horrifying it might be. Scroll down below to see the captivating photographs of "Dear Orlando" and read the stories.
More info: Dear World | Daymond Gardner
#21 He Gave Me The License, I Found My Family
"I told Jean everything. I told him my first kiss. I told him everything before my mom because my mom is harder to talk to. Jean, he would tell me straight up. That's one of the challenges I've been facing, that he's not here because when you go from seeing somebody every day, sharing the same bathroom, waking up every morning, eating with him, it's weird now because now you go to the house and it's quiet. I'm never home." – Valeria Monroig, sister of Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez, victim of the Pulse shooting.
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19points
#22 I Got To Hear Him Say "Papi, I Want To Be A Pilot"
"My nieces sent a desperate message: "Please answer. Please tell me what happened." They knew it was true because it was all over the TV in Mexico. But they don't know what happened until the Mexican consul opened phone line for all the families. The consul told me "Don't worry. We're going to bring your family. Who do you want?" I told my mom, my son, and they told me "Don't worry. We're going to bring them." And they did it very fast. Four days later. Almost 11 years I hadn't seen my mom." - Javier Nada, survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting.
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17points
#23 They Will Always Be Three
"Nelson, my son, died of cancer when he was 11... That's my baby because I felt that since this happened, I have left him aside because it's been about Amanda and I say to him 'I'm so sorry baby.' Before I lost Amanda, it was all him, every year since 2001, I never stopped crying." – Mayra Alvear, mother of Amanda Alvear, victim of the Pulse shooting.
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16points
#25 Mami Estas Espectacular
"On the day of my wedding my son was so happy. He did my hair and makeup. It was his plan to make me look 'spectacular' on my wedding day." – Magda Soto, mother of Luis Conde, who died in the Pulse nightclub shooting.
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13points
#26 We Called Him Ricky Martin
"The next day when they were giving the names, his came up. I was devastated. I did not know how to call his mom because he was the only son. I did not know how to call her or say, "Listen, I was there." I did talk to her at the funeral. I apologized. She said, "Don't worry. There's always a reason. It was not your time." She hugged me and then she said, “He was so cute.” - Samuel Maldonado, survivor and friend of Gilbert Ramon Silva Menendez, victim of the shooting
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13points
#27 I Got The Text From My Son "Dad, Are You Alright?"
"I come upon this massive scene. Hundreds of police officers. Hundreds of emergency vehicles. My commanders briefed me, 'Hey, this guy went in here, started shooting right away. We have multiple, multiple people getting shot, maybe as many as 15 or 20.' That's what I was told at the time." – John Mina, Orlando Police Chief.
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13points
#28 Chris Loved Britney Spears On Road Trips
"That night at Pulse, he was missing. We were celebrating our birthdays together. I didn't know where he was. When I got outside of that I ran like crazy and I forgot I was with Chris. I went back. I didn't care. I went back and I found him in the middle of the road, screaming. We hugged each other like we never hugged before." – Ramses Tinoco, survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting, friend of Chris Brodman, who died later that year.
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13points
#30 He Said, "You Gotta Come Out Of Your Eggshell"
"I've always been that insecure person due to my weight. 'You got to get out your egg shell,' he used to say. 'There's fatter females out there, they flaunt what they have and they're very proud and they don't care.' He always wanted me to be happy with me." – Marissa Delgado survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting and friend of Stanley Almodovar who died that night.
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12points
#31 "Ok, I'll See You In Four"
"It's a short elevator ride, 30 seconds maybe. Get out and it's one set of double doors. Right there. Hit the button on the side. Doors open up and the doctor is standing there. She's got her stuff. She's ready. I'm looking at him. He's looking at me and we're both looking at the patient. I'm looking at the monitor and the patient is crying. She’s asking what happened. She wants her mom. She wants her sister. 'Somebody, please. Can you please call my brother? Can you?' Yes. We'll call them." - Jaimee Hahn, an ER nurse at Orlando Health.
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11points
