A memorial was held outside Pulse nightclub, marking the 6-month anniversary of the deadliest mass shooting in the United States.
Families of victims, friends, and survivors gathered outside Pulse to remember the lives that were lost that morning. On June 12th, a gunman killed 49 people and injured many others.
"It's always going to feel like it was yesterday…the gunshots -everything. (Also), the rumbling (and) the screaming (and) the yelling," India, who survived the mass shooting, said.
India could not imagine being anywhere else on the 6th month anniversary.
"I don't speak for only myself, but for everyone else (too), and we just need to feel the love that we've been getting to be able to heal," she said.
The memorial service started around 6:15 p.m. and lasted nearly 3 hours. The message tonight was about spreading love.
"I lost a good amount of friends and (it's) something you could never forget. You have to be here to keep letting them know you're here to support them in love at all times," Orlando Torres said.
PHOTO GALLERY: Remembering Pulse Shooting victims 6 months later
Torres said he hid in the bathroom of the nightclub for 3 hours. He said it was a miracle he survived.
"I think about it pretty much almost every day," Torres said.
Amanda Alvear was one of the people who was killed. Her birthday is today and her family wanted to celebrate it before the memorial service. They stood together in front of Pulse nightclub.
"This is the place that makes [my mom] feel at peace because she's received so much love so she wanted to come here. We know it's the 6 month anniversary, but it's also Amanda's birthday," Alvear said.
