Pulse Remembrance 9 Years Later: Finding Purpose and Healing After Tragedy
Thursday June 12, 2025, marks nine years since the Pulse tragedy in Orlando took the lives of 49 people. It was Latin Night at the LGBTQIA+ nightclub on June 12, 2016, when a gunman entered shortly after 2:00 a.m. and began shooting. SWAT teams breached the building, and Orlando police killed the gunman in a shootout around 5:15 that morning. At the time, the loss of 49 lives marked the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. More than 50 people were also wounded in the attack. Those without physical injuries still live with the pain and scars of what happened at Pulse. Brandon Wolf is one of the survivors of the Pulse shooting. He now works as the National Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, a LGBTQ+ civil rights organization. Wolf joins Engage to reflect on what happened nine years ago.
Once the gunshots started, several people including Orlando Torres hid in the bathroom. He worked as a promoter for the Pulse nightclub. Torres joins Engage to discuss the night that changed his life. The first two minutes of our conversation about gun violence and trauma might be difficult to listen to for some as Torres describes how he survived the shooting and the three-hour standoff.
Orlando Police SWAT officer Timothy Stanley responded that night, and he is one of the officers involved in the shootout that killed the gunman. What he went through has a lasting impact on him and the way he now helps agencies prepare for active shooter situations. Stanley has since retired from OPD and works as an Inspector with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He joins Engage to discuss his evolution in law enforcement since responding to the Pulse nightclub shooting, lessons learned, and the work he’s doing today to save more lives.
In the aftermath of the Pulse shooting, the need to address the psychological stress experienced became clear. Within days, UCF Restores, a trauma and PTSD treatment resource, started working with the first responders and others in need of support. Deborah Beidel is Executive Director and Pegasus Professor of Psychology. She joins Engage to discuss managing trauma related issues for people impacted by mass violence.
Pulse was known as a gay nightclub safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. “Keep dancing Orlando,” is a phrase echoed by many in the wake of the tragedy to celebrate life and show that hate would not win. The Zebra Youth organization serves LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 24. They’re hosting Pride Prom: A Night Over the Rainbow at the end of Pride month on Friday June 27, 2025. Zach Burns is a marriage and family therapist and mental health counselor at Zebra Youth. He joins Engage to talk about planning the free event and the importance of a place like Zebra Youth in providing a safe space. Registration for Pride Prom closes this Sunday.
