Ten Years After Pulse: Survivors Reflect on Loss, Healing, and Activism
On June 12, 2016, a gunman killed 49 people and injured over 50 at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The attack was investigated as both an act of terrorism and a hate crime.
A decade later, survivors Brandon Wolf, Keinon Carter, and Tiara Parker described their ongoing physical and emotional recovery to CNN.
Brandon Wolf: Turning Grief into Advocacy
Wolf lost his best friend, Christopher "Drew" Leinonen, and Leinonen's boyfriend, Juan Ramon Guerrero.
He co-founded The Dru Project, a nonprofit providing scholarships, and became a press secretary for Equality Florida and the Human Rights Campaign.
"My life and priorities were reshaped by the shooting."
Wolf continues to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, channeling his personal loss into public service.
Keinon Carter: A Long Road to Recovery
Carter was shot multiple times, sustaining injuries to his pelvis, spine, leg, intestines, and kidney. He was initially declared dead but survived.
- Underwent over 60 surgeries
- Required a colostomy bag
- Learned to walk again
- Manages chronic pain daily
Carter participated in a lawsuit against the city alleging delayed police response; the suit was denied by an appeals court.
"I was given a second chance."
He now works an administrative job and aspires to open a restaurant and a center for Black LGBTQ+ youth.
Tiara Parker: Surviving Guilt and Grief
Parker was visiting from Philadelphia and was shot in the side and arm. Her cousin, Akyra Murray, was killed.
She experienced survivor's guilt and depression, leading to a nervous breakdown in 2019.
"Learning to live with loss is a daily process."
Parker became vice president of Victims First, a nonprofit supporting mass casualty survivors, and works as a makeup artist.
Memorial and Reflection: Ten Years Later
Wolf begins each June 12 with ice cream for breakfast and spends time with friends of Leinonen, honoring a tradition rooted in memory.
Parker visits Murray's grave annually. She gave birth to a son in May 2025 and did not attend the 2026 memorial events, marking a new chapter in her healing.
Carter planned to visit Brown's burial site for the first time — a step he had not been able to take until now.
These three survivors illustrate the enduring impact of the Pulse nightclub shooting: a decade marked by physical pain, emotional struggle, advocacy, and the slow, brave work of rebuilding a life.