ORLANDO, Fla. — Terry DeCarlo, director of the GLBT Center of Central Florida, was giving an interview when a very important email hit his inbox and he stopped to read it. It was a note of thanks from an GLBT center in Manchester, England that received a video of support from leaders of Orlando’s gay community and others.
“This is the most beautiful gesture. The chair of my board and I just watched it and we are both in tears,” said DeCarlo, reading the email in his office.
He explained that the video was made because Orlando’s gay community “knows what they are going through right now.” June 12 is the first anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting that left 49 dead.
At least three of the victims of the bombing at the Ariana Grande concert were gay, DeCarlo revealed.
“Are they getting the same worldwide outpouring that we got here? Not so much. We wanted to send that video to say ‘we’re here... and we feel your pain and we stand with you,’” said DeCarlo.