ORLANDO, Fla. – Ten years ago, 49 families learned their mothers, fathers, siblings and friends would not be coming home after a gunman opened fire on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
Each one of the 49 people killed, now known as the 49 angels, on June 12, 2016, left behind a legacy.
To honor their memories, News 6 journalists compiled stories about every victim through interviews, news articles and social media. All 49 articles can be found at ClickOrlando.com/Pulse49.
[WATCH: News 6 special on Pulse]
Before they were victims, the 49 were mothers, fathers, recent graduates, veterans, breast cancer survivors, dreamers, artists, and so much more. Here are some of the stories.
Those stories include 33-year-old Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala's who was known as “Rody†by friends. Ayala served as the platelet supervisor at OneBlood, the center that collected blood donations for many Pulse shooting survivors.
“He was the sweetest, most genuine person. (He) cared for everyone and would do anything for you, and he'll be sorely missed here,†Kelly Gollert, the director of manufacturing for OneBlood, said after his death.
Brenda Marquez McCool, 49, was a mother to 11 children, beat cancer twice and often went dancing at the Pulse nightclub with her son. She was at the nightclub with her son, Isaiah Henderson, on June 12, 2016.
More than anything, Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19, dreamed of traveling the world after he finished a degree in accounting.
“He would just look at you and laugh,†his mother, Myrlande Bébé, said. “He loves to smile. He was just fun.â€
Two days after the shooting, Luis S. Vielma's co-workers and friends at Universal Studios Orlando raised their wands near the Hogwarts castle in the 22-year-old's honor. He was studying to be a physical therapy assistant at Seminole State College.
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-Rosado, 35, was at home on stage. A video on YouTube viewed thousands of times shows Rosado gracefully gliding across the stage of Orlando's Parliament House in a leather cape and top hat, to the delight of the audience.
Amanda Lizzette Alvear Benabe dreamed of becoming a nurse and helping to deliver babies. She inspired thousands on Instagram by documenting her weight loss journey.
Antonio Brown, 29, was a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve who spent a year serving in Kuwait and won several awards. He was two months away from getting his doctorate when he was killed.
To read about all 49 angels click here.
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