ORLANDO, Fla. – Next week, Central Florida will be remembering the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. It was June 12, 2016, when a gunman opened fire, killing 49 people.
Saturday morning, a 4.9K race was held to honor the victims. It’s held every year, and this year’s eighth annual event had hundreds of participants.
The 8th annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run started and ended downtown at City Hall.
Samantha Duncan, one of the runners, brought out her kids to race with her.
“We used to live in Delaney Park and we heard everything that night, my husband was down here, it was terrifying and we will never forget it,” she said.
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There was plenty of entertainment and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was there thanking people for their support.
“It’s hard to really imagine that it’s been eight years since the Pulse tragedy, but to have the community come out to remember those 49 and do what we always do and that is come together and support each other,” Dyer told News 6.
Duncan said it’s important to never forget what happened.
“Now I have two children and I want to make sure that they are aware that love is love and I want to make sure that they hear it from me and we are making this an annual thing,” she said.
Proceeds from the race will go toward the construction of a permanent memorial at the Pulse site, which is now owned by the city of Orlando.
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