On Monday (August 1) the owners of Orlando’ Pulse Nightclub announced the facility will reopen as a memorial for the 49 lives lost during the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in a statement the memorial will “preserve the memory of those who lost their lives, provide comfort to those who seek it and honor the spirit and love of our great city.”
The memorial is said to be overseen by a community based committee and receiving input from survivors of the shooting, as well as families of the victims and the community as a whole.
While it’s unclear when the memorial will open, in the meantime, the club owners have also founded a non profit organization titled the ‘onePULSE Foundation.’ Although the original mission of the organization was to “to provide financial assistance to the victims affected by the attack at Pulse Nightclub,” it’s currently focusing on the creation of the memorial at the site of Pulse Nightclub.
The June 12th shooting at the Orlando nightclub orchestrated by a lone gunman left 49 dead, dozens injured, and the nation in grief.
To donate to to the creation of the memorial, visit the onePULSE Foundation here.