The thought that some of her friends could have been killed in the deadly shooting on Sunday morning is nearly too much for her to take. Faith leaders encouraged the crowd to stand united in the face of violence and hate. “We’re a wall that can’t be knocked down”, said Donovan, “we’re still going to show up in numbers and have no fear”.
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“There might be 40, 50, 100 people here, but where there’s 100 there’s 10,000”, said Mike Kennedy, who attended the vigil. People from other local churches also came by to remember and mourn the victims. “The most important thing we can do is say, ‘we’re with you, you’re not alone”.
Isabella King used to live in the Orlando area and has visited Pulse nightclub, where the shooting occurred, in the past. Petty said her church has been a welcoming and safe place for the LGBT community for more than two decades.
The service starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the church at 102 Old Trolley Road. She urged people to help protect the rights and the safety of the gay community.
The attack in Orlando feels close for Trevor Donovan.
“I’m still trying to process it, because I don’t know if there are people I know in that building”, King said.
The news release says the event is a candlelight vigil. “Please join us with a candle and love in your heart!”
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“We will continue to stand with the families and with Orlando and everywhere else that has ever faced a tragedy and we will respond with love”, Alyssia Valentin said. “But I think one of our speakers captured it, in that there’s a lot of hope”.
