Open Letter To Omar Mateen From A Survivor Of The Orlando Incident
Orlando, Florida – A survivor from a devastating incident in a Florida nightclub wrote an open letter to Omar Mateen saying that he may have taken lives, but he “can not take away our love.”
In just 2 days, the letter he published on website XoJane has been share more than 11,500 times.
“You Don’t Know Me, But I Wish You Would Have”
I’m a young, gay man who was born in New Jersey and grew up in Orlando. I love my friends, I love my parents, I’m half Puerto Rican, half Dominican, 21 years old, and at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, you almost took my life.
I go to Pulse nightclub in Orlando because I feel comfortable there, and I can be myself. Several of my friends were there that night, including my friend Stanley. I will never see Stanley again. You took that away from me.
Saturday night was Latin night, and it was a party vibe because of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. It was a hot night, and the club was filled with life and love and dancing and — until you arrived — pure joy.
My friends and I arrived at Pulse around 11 p.m. I’ve been going to the club for a few years now, and it’s a wonderful place to let loose and really be yourself in Orlando. We had been having an amazing weekend, and we were planning to stay until it closed, but as it turned out, my friend Vincent had the premonition that he wanted to head out before everyone tried to leave at once, since last call was already upon us.
My friend Vincent saved my life.
Please. Let’s call it what it was: the worst attack — on love — on U.S. soil.Edward, Stanley, Luis, Akyra, Luis, Juan, Eric, Peter, Kimberly, Eddie, Enrique, Anthony, Jonathan, Yilmary, Cory, Mercedez, Deonka, Miguel, Jason, Darryl, Jean Carlos and Luis Daniel, Oscar and Simon, Shane, Amanda, Martin, Gilberto, Javier, Tevin, Alejandro, Franky, Xavier, Joel, Juan, Luis, Juan, Jerald, Leroy, Jean, Rodolfo, Brenda, Christopher, Angel, Frank, Paul, Antonio, Christopher, Geraldo…
These men and women were strangers to you. All of them had one precious gift, one saving grace that you could never, ever have. That much is clear. I know you had a child and a wife and a father and a mother, but you did not have what they had. You never could have. What happened never could have happened if you did.
I know that there is only one answer. Every time I ask these questions, it is the only thing that makes logical sense to me in this sea of devastation and heartbreak and grief.
Omar, we are stronger than your hate. We always will be.Eddie did not survive.
Stanley did not survive. Edward did not survive. Luis did not survive. Akyra did not survive. Luis did not survive. Juan did not survive. Eric did not survive. Peter did not survive. Kimberly did not survive. Eddie did not survive. Enrique did not survive. Anthony did not survive. Jonathan did not survive. Yilmary did not survive. Cory did not survive. Mercedez did not survive. Deonka did not survive. Miguel did not survive. Jason did not survive. Darryl did not survive. Jean did not survive. Carlos and Luis Daniel did not survive. Oscar and Simon did not survive. Shane did not survive. Amanda did not survive. Martin did not survive. Gilberto did not survive. Javier did not survive. Tevin did not survive. Alejandro did not survive. Franky did not survive. Xavier did not survive. Joel did not survive. Juan did not survive. Luis did not survive. Juan did not survive. Jerald did not survive. Leroy did not survive. Jean did not survive. Rodolfo did not survive. Brenda did not survive. Christopher did not survive. Angel did not survive. Frank did not survive. Paul did not survive. Antonio did not survive. Christopher did not survive. Geraldo did not survive…
But love did.
In fact, it just grew stronger.”
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