Lance Bass, husband Michael Turchin visit Pulse nightclub

Among the flowers, the photos and the signs, Lance Bass and husband Michael Turchin visited Pulse nightclub on Sunday, more than a month and a half after the deadly mass shooting.

"Ugh. When you get here and you see thism it's just so sad. It feels so real. When you see it on TV and you see all the tragedies happening, but when you're here it definitely affects you," he said. "I didn't expect to be so overwhelmed with emotion ... you just feel it."

Bass lived in Orlando during his NSYNC days in the 1990s.

"I grew up here, so showing Orlando I still love and support this town especially during something like this. and then on top of that, just, the group that was affected here," Lance said. "You know the community that I've been a part of and fighting for so long, and it's just really sad and I just want to show the LGBT community, especially in Orlando, that I love and support them and we will get through this together."

This weekend, Bass and Turchin came to Orlando to celebrate the Parliament House's 41st anniversary.

"We have to still celebrate that we are a community and we are all about love. We can't go into hiding," Bass said.  "Last night you saw, there were a huge amount of straight allies there and it's going to take all of us to change people's minds."

 "It's important to come out to show that the action of one isn't going to ruin the lives of millions," Turchin said.

Bass said the outpouring of love at Pulse gives him hope.

 "To be able to put my arm around my husband in public used to be scary, but not anymore," he said. "We love you, we support you, we think of you and we are holding your hand through this whole tragedy. And we will get back to where we were. Love you."


About the Author:

Julie Broughton's career in Central Florida has spanned more than 14 years, starting with News 6 as a meteorologist and now anchoring newscasts.