ORLANDO, Fla. — Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Orlando today for the annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run. The event honors the 49 lives lost in the Pulse nightclub tragedy and raises money for the permanent memorial.
The annual event started in 2017 after the Pulse nightclub shooting. This year’s run comes just days before Orlando marks 10 years since the tragedy that took 49 lives.
For runners like Perry Snider, showing up each year is personal.
“I’ve actually been coming every year since the start. So been the ten years, this is great because it’s a big piece for us,” said Snider. “This is our community and these are the people that I love and know. I was affected, and I was very lucky that my friends and I, you know, are here and were able to celebrate our community.”
Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan also took part in the event. She says she was running for people she knew.
“This is all about remembering the 49. I’m running today for my friend Eddie, who was killed that night,” Sheehan said.
Sheehan says the city is moving forward with plans for a permanent Pulse memorial, and money raised from the run will help support that project.
“This is about unity. This is about community. This is about bringing everyone together in love. One of the things I’m so proud of my city in Orlando was, was the way everyone came together,” she said.
For Snider, seeing thousands of people continue to show up sends a powerful message.
“It means a lot because it shows that it affected our community as a whole. And it’s not just the LGBTQ community, it is the city of Orlando,” Snider said.
As the 10-year mark approaches, runners say they hope the event continues for years to come — not only to honor the lives lost, but to support the survivors, families, and community still healing.