ORLANDO, Fla. – This week, the city of Orlando is remembering the lives lost while preparing to create a memorial at the site of Pulse nightclub.
While a permanent memorial is still in the works, other memorials spread out across central Florida remain and remember the lives lost.
City of Orlando Multicultural Affairs Manager Luis Martinez is among the hundreds left with a hole in their heart after the tragedy.
[VIDEO BELOS: Prayer ribbons honor 49 Pulse victims]
“It means a lot for me personally because I lost two best friends at Pulse,” he said.
Every year, Martinez places ribbons from an artist in Massachusetts outside his office at Orlando City Hall to honor who he calls his 49 angels.
“The ribbons also include 49 black ribbons with the names of our 49 friends on one ribbon dedicated to the survivors,” he explained..
The ribbons will be on display until Monday, serving as a temporary reminder of the enormous loss. Since the shooting, the city of Orlando has been planning a memorial at the site of the shooting to replace the nightclub, but construction won’t start until next year.
While the city prepares to permanently honor the 49 victims, the community has already memorialized the lives lost with memorials like the one in Colonial Town Square Park that has a rainbow heart surrounded by the names of the victims and with several murals that show support for the LGBTQIA community.
“We were able to show the United States and the entire world that we are Orlando United,” Martinez said of the various community tributes. “We are an inclusive, welcoming city. That is something that defines Orlando as a welcoming, internationally known city.”
As pride colors decorate the City Beautiful as a symbol of solidarity, Martinez says they also remind those personally impacted, like himself, that they are not alone.
“After nine years, it continues to be difficult for all of the victims and survivors. But we are here. We’re brothers and sisters; we are supporting each other. We are hugging each other in order to try our best to overcome the loss of 49 angels,” he said.
This week, the city of Orlando is facilitating the first organized visit to the site for loved ones. For the public, the annual remembrance ceremony at United Methodist Church is set for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.