OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Months after a scheduled groundbreaking at Brownie Wise Park in Kissimmee, construction on the Wings of the Rainbow — an artistic tribute to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting — has not started, leaving survivors and community members asking what happened to the long-promised project.
Jorshua Hernandez, a Pulse survivor who now lives in Puerto Rico, said he was shot twice during the June 12, 2016, attack.
“I got shot two times, over here on my left arm,” Hernandez said. He urged that the massacre, in which 49 people were killed and more than 50 wounded, must not be forgotten.
The Wings of the Rainbow tribute was planned to feature 49 angel wings, one for each life lost. Several of the victims called Osceola County home.
Hernandez said he has tried to get information from county officials without success. “We sent email to Osceola County and we didn’t get a response,” he said.
Osceola County’s communications team provided the following statement to News 6, “The County appreciates your inquiry into the Pulse artistic tribute-not memorial. However, we do not have anything additional to share today. We will share updates at the appropriate time with all media and the public.”
There was also some concern that the tribute was in a conservation area home to eagles and other wildlife. The construction and activity could disrupt their habitats.
Meanwhile, advocates and survivors continue to press for clarity and for the tribute to move forward. We will keep on tracking any progress and keep you up to date.