Thousands run to remember Pulse victims three years later

Annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run benefits onePULSE Foundation

ORLANDO, Fla. – Thousands of runners and walkers packed Wadeview Park in Orlando to remember and honor the lives lost during the Pulse tragedy three years ago.

Rainbows usually come after a storm, but the prideful colors took over the park Saturday morning. 

"It's all about love, remembrance. Look at everybody. This is incredible," said Terry DeCarlo, former director of The Center.  

More than 3,000 runners and walker spent their morning in the sun and the heat to remember Orlando's darkest day.

"The good thing that really came out of all of this horrible massacre that killed 49 innocent and injured so many in our community is that this community came together," Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said.

Racers participated in the third annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run to benefit the onePULSE Foundation and honor the 49 lives lost on June 12, 2016. 

The 4.9K course took runners past ORMC and the Pulse site, the same path many victims took that morning. 

Pulse owner Barbara Poma cheered the runners on. She said she is thankful to still have the community's support years later. 

"It's overwhelming. The numbers are even bigger this year. It's so nice to know our community is still supporting after three years and they keep showing up in numbers, just like they did on June 12th. We're so grateful," Poma said.

The racers want to make sure the victims' families and survivors know they will never be forgotten.

"We're never going to allow hate to basically overshadow the fact that we are going to love one another. We're going to take care of one another. We're going to make sure that we're not going to allow evil to basically dictate how we live," Orlando police Chief Orlando Rolon said. 

The runners add this is the least they can do to honor our angels.

"This is us supporting our neighborhood. This is important to draw attention to because we shouldn't let this happen ever again," said Cynthia, a racer..


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