ORLANDO, Fla. – The 8th annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run took place in downtown Orlando Saturday morning.
The run not only celebrates Pride, but it also serves as a way to honor and remember the 49 lives lost in the Pulse tragedy nearly 9 years ago.
“I think when this happened 9 years ago, it was trying to instill fear in a lot of people, and for everybody to show up today and be fearless and be supportive, it’s just really something special,” said Kaylie Zakar.
Nicole Freeman also ran in the Rainbow Run and remembers the emotions she felt the day after it happened.
“I had been new to the area and I had friends that had talked about being at Pulse and going to Pulse and it was scary waking up the next day and checking my phone to be like, ‘Oh my God, did you guys go? Were you there?’ Like, it was a fearful emotion,” Freeman said.
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This year’s event comes as the city of Orlando begins to solidify plans for a permanent Pulse memorial.
“I have absolutely no doubt that we will do the right thing in conjunction with the county and we will build a memorial that the county and the city can be proud of,” Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said during an interview with News 6’s Mike Valente on Tuesday.
[WATCH: Orange County agrees to $5M request for Orlando Pulse Memorial]
Kemuel Tirado also ran in the race with his partner. He said events like this help educate people about the LGBTQ+ community.
“It also makes them want to be a part, encourages them to search for details about it and maybe they want to join themselves this time or maybe next time,” Tirado said.
The 2025 Pulse Remembrance Ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 12, at 5:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Downtown Orlando, located at 142 East Jackson Street.