ORLANDO, Fla. – As many across Orlando remember and honor the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting and their loved ones, artists are taking their story and turning it into a moving message with a mural.
The 44-foot wide “The Inspiration Orlando United” installation was unveiled at the Orlando Museum of Art on Monday, seven years since the mass shooting that took 49 lives when a gunman opened fire at the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016.
“I hope that this mural can be a platform for you to speak out and for you to find help that you need and you can get,” said Michael Pilato, one of two artists who created the art piece.
Pilato showed a room packed with people, including Pulse survivors, the story behind some of the faces on the massive mural at the unveiling.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
“This first kiss right here is Corey Donald, kissing his girlfriend Paula. He died saving (her) at Pulse,” Pilato said.
Pilato said the piece, created in 2018, is ever-expanding, adding the heart of it is with those affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting.
“(It’s) just an inspiration to us survivors and the victims’ families as well as the community,” Orlando Torres said.
Torres can be seen painted next to the 49 hearts representing the 49 lives lost during the 2016 tragedy.
As a survivor, he told News 6 he can’t help but think back and remember while looking at each face and name.
“My story is very unique the way I hid in the bathroom sitting on top of the toilet seat and it bought me time and saved me that evening,” Torres said.
City and state officials said while people come together to mourn on the date of remembrance itself, Tuesday the call for action is renewed.
“In our state, we have seen our governor sign upwards of five anti-LGBTQ plus bills into law,” State Rep. Anna Eskamani, of Orlando, said. “We owe it to those who are no longer with us to act, to honor them through action.”
But for survivors like Torres, he said going forward, he hopes people learn from this tragedy.
“We are hoping that this will put people on the alert to always look at your surroundings, look at your exits because you just never know,” he said.
The mural will be on display in the rotunda of the Orlando Museum of Art from Tuesday until Friday.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: