FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- Millions of people, world leaders and celebrities are remembering the 49 people killed in the terror attack at the pulse night club in Orlando one year ago today.
The mass shooting is the deadliest in U.S. history and hit the core of Orlando’s LGBTQ community. Omar Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS when he opened fire on the crowd.
People came together at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville to remember those victims. They read each name and then rang the church bells to honor them.
Max Calabotta read several of those names and said it left him feeling heavy.
“Those are 49 people that changed someone else's life. You know they touched probably hundreds if not thousands of lives on their own together and like they were there that night June, pride month when we talk about having our own space,” he said.
He said he would like to see people treat each other better and for nothing like the pulse tragedy to ever happen again.
“Step up and talk to people and change hearts and minds because it doesn't matter how many times I go to a protest, the people who don't care aren't going to care, but they might care if someone they loves cares,” he said.
Jules Taylor said she was overcome with emotion hearing those names.
“Just to listen to the tolling of the bell and to think of the history of what that's about and then putting that in an emotional place, a very personal place. When you hear a name that could be your next door neighbor, your sister, your best friend,” Taylor said.