Before
preparing today’s post I decided to make a cursory inventory. At least six
times previously, I have written about mass gun violence (in America). In the
most recent instance before today I discussed the facts surrounding the June
17, 2015 shooting of the Charleston Nine at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church in
Charleston, SC. Just two days shy of a year later, I find myself impelled to
beat the drum once more. In an ironic twist, I visited the Mother Emanuel Church
this weekend. As I was completing my exercise regimen, a spin bike ride, early
Sunday morning, before my trip to Charleston, I read a news story and watched
on CNN the story and gory details about the massacre at a gay club in Orlando
named Pulse.
Each time
such a tragedy befalls us; we as a society are diminished. It marks yet another
cruel and crushing blow to a nation that I certainly wish to see aspire to
emulate its better angels rather than the very worst in our human nature. I
have ranted and railed repeatedly about the role easy access to firearms plays
in the frequent carnage. I’ve discussed the prevailing politics, examined the
NRA and its proxies (lobbyists and Congressmen and women), and lamented the
lack of reform. Been there, done that, time and time again.
Not today.
In honor of those 49 souls who ended their earthly assignment last Sunday
morning at Pulse, I will make a brief introduction, and share the powerful
words of one survivor. In the event you wish to reference my thoughts from previous
posts on the subject, you can click on links below for several of them.
The list of
dearly departed includes:
Edward
Sotomayor, Jr.: - A 34 year-old resident of Sarasota, Florida; worked at a
travel agency that catered to the gay community.
Stanley Almodovar,
III: - A 23 year-old pharmacy technician. Hi smother made him a tomato and
cheese dip that he never got to eat; he never returned home.
Luis Omar
Ocasio-Capo: - A 20 year-old dancer at the club. He was one of the youngest to
die.
Akyra Monet
Murray: - An 18 year-old from Philadelphia, who was in Orlando on vacation with
her brother after graduating from high school.
Luis S.
Vielma: - A 22 year-old who worked at Universal Orlando. J.K. Rowling, creator
of the "Harry Potter" book series tweeted “I can’t stop crying.”
Vielma worked on the Harry Potter ride at Universal.
Juan Ramon
Guerrero: - A 22 year-old worked as a telemarketer while attending the
University of Central Florida.
Christopher
Andrew Leinonen: - A 32 year-old, and was Juan Ramon’s boyfriend. He
established a gay-straight alliance at his high school.
Eric Ivan
Ortiz-Rivera: - A 36 year-old who had moved to Florida from Puerto Rico in
pursuit of a better life.
Peter O.
Gonzalez-Cruz: - A 22 year-old who worked at UPS, and who was known for
memorizing the names of his regular customers.
Kimberley
Morris: - A 37 year-old bouncer at Pulse. She enjoyed mixed martial arts and
basketball.
Eddie
Jamoldroy Justice: - A 30 year-old accountant who lived in downtown Orlando.
Enrique
Rios: - A 25 year-old whom a cousin, Erick Leon, described as, “Loved by
everyone who knew him.”
Anthony Luis
Laureano Disla: - Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and settled in Orlando.
Jonathan
Antonio Camuy Vega: - Worked in Audience Management for the current season of
the singing competition at Telemundo.
Yilmary
Rodriguez Solivan: - A 24 year-old, was friends with Jonathan Antonio.
Cory James
Connell: - A 21 year-old was leaving Pulse with his girlfriend when the
shooter, whose name I will not write, entered the club.
Mercedes
Marisol Flores: - A 26 year-old; her father Cesar is heartbroken that his
daughter was killed.
Deonka
Deidra Drayton: - A 32 year-old, she was a bartender at Pulse.
Miguel Angel
Honorato: - A 30 year-old; he lived in Orlando, and managed a Mexican
restaurant in Sanford, Florida.
Jason
Benjamin Josaphat: - A 19 year-old; he attended Southern Technical College in
Orlando.
Darryl Roman
Burt II: - A 29 year-old; he was an employee on the Jacksonville campus of
Kelser University.
Juan Carlos
Mendez Perez: - A 35 year-old, was the best salesperson his co-worker, Claudia
Agudelo, ever met.
Luis Daniel
Wilson-Leon: - A 37 year-old, and a friend of Juan Carlos.
Oscar A.
Aracena Montero: - A 26 year-old, was celebrating the recent purchase of a
home.
Simon Adrian
Carillo Fernandez: - A 31 year-old who was Oscar’s partner.
Shane Evan
Tomlinson: - A 33 year-old, who had performed with his band Frequency at
another club earlier in the evening.
Amanda
Avear: - A 25 year-old was on Snapchat at the club when the shooting started.
Martin
Benitez Torres: - A 33 year-old was a student at the Tampa Bay campus of Ana G.
Mendez University.
Gilberto
Ramon Silva Menendez: A 25 year-old from Manati, Puerto Rico who worked at a
Speedway Convenience Store. He had studies Health Care Management at Ana G.
Mendez University in Orlando.
Javier
Jorge-Reyes: - A 40 year-old from Guayama, Puerto Rico. He managed a Gucci
Store in Orlando.
Tevin
Eurgene Crosby: - A 25 year-old, who ran his own marketing company. He
graduated from West Iredell High School in Statesville, NC in 2010.
Franky Jimmy
Dejesus Velazquez: - A 50 year-old, he was a professional dancer.
Xavier
Emmanuel Serrano Rosado: - A 33 year-old, he was a dancer, and proud of his
son.
Joel Rayon
Paniagua: - Grew up in Veracruz, Mexico; he lived near Tampa, and sent all his
money home to family.
Juan P.
Rivera Velazquez and Luis Daniel Conde: - Velazquez 37 and a hair stylist, and
Conde 39 a make-up artist, were partners. They owned a salon together.
Juan
Chevez-Martinez: - A 25 year-old who worked at a hotel.
Jerald
Arthur Wright: - A 31 year-old; he worked at Disney World.
Leroy
Valentin Fernandez: - A 25 year-old; he leased apartments for a living.
Jean C.
Nives Rodriguez: - He bought his first home just over a month ago.
Rodolfo
Ayalo-Ayalo: - A 33 year-old, he worked at OneBlood, a blood donation center
since 2011.
Brenda Lee
Marquez McCool: - A 49 year-old who has 11 kids, and beat cancer twice. Her son
survived the shooting.
Angel L.
Candelario Padro: - A 28 year-old who had recently moved to Orlando and started
a job as a technician at the Florida Retina Institute.
Frank
Hernandez: - A 27 year-old; he worked at a Calvin Klein store.
Paul Terrell
Henry: - He was from Chicago, and had two children. His daughter Alexia
recently graduated from high school.
Antonio
Davon Brown: - A 29 year-old; he was a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, and a
graduate of Florida A&M University.
Christopher
Joseph Sanfeliz: - A 24 year-old, he worked at a bank.
Alejandro
Barrios-Martinez: - A 21 year-old, he grew up in Cuba before moving to Orlando
in 2014 to live with his father.
Geraldo A.
Ortiz-Jimenez: - A 25 year-old, known as “Drake” to his friends, was a native
of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
That
completes a listing of biographical summaries of the 49 men and women who lost
their lives a Pulse, as shared by CNN. It is without question, their abrupt
departure from life, and especially from their friends and loved ones, is a
tragedy of incalculable magnitude. I will not even attempt to put that into
words. Instead, I will rely upon the insight and heart-rending sentiments of
one survivor, Ms. Patience Carter.
The
following is a poem she wrote Monday night, before she shared a person
statement yesterday about her experience in the Pulse incident:
The Guilt of Feeling
Grateful to be Alive is Heavy
"Wanting
to smile about surviving but not sure if the people around you are ready.
As the
world mourns, the victims killed and viciously slain, I feel guilty about
screaming about my legs in pain.
Because I
could feel nothing like the other 49 who weren't so lucky to feel this pain of
mine.
I never
thought in a million years that this could happen.
I never
thought in a million years that my eyes could witness something so tragic.
Looking
at the souls leaving the bodies of individuals. Looking at the killer's machine
gun throughout my right peripheral. Looking at the blood and debris covered on
everyone's faces. Looking at the gunman's feet under the stall as he paces.
The guilt
of feeling lucky to be alive is heavy.
It's like
the weight of the ocean's walls crushing uncontrolled by levies. It's like
being drug through the grass with a shattered leg and thrown on the back of a
Chevy. It's like being rushed to the hospital and told you're gonna make it
when you laid beside individuals whose lives were brutally taken.
The guilt
of being alive is heavy.”
With that
powerful personal testimony, I think it’s all been said. “This Time Orlando:“Pulse” of the Nation!”
I’m done;
holla back!
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