Las Vegas Victims Memorial October 2017
Thousands Pay Respects to Las Vegas Victims at Strip Memorial
By Todd Prince Las Vegas Review-Journal Guest Columnist
Thousands of tourists and local residents , carrying flowers , signs and balloons , made their way Saturday afternoon to a memorial to remember the victims of the October 1st massacre . A slowmoving line about 300 people deep had formed by 4 p . m . behind the “ Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas ” sign , where 58 crosses had been placed , one to represent each victim .
Some people walked 20 minutes in the heat ; others parked their cars on the dirt-covered intersection on Las Vegas Boulevard . “ We brought flowers so that we could lay one on every cross ,” Las Vegas resident Heather Harrison said , fighting back tears . “ My fiance and my mother wanted to come down and pay our respects to all the people that were lost in the tragedy .”
The song “ See You Again ” by Charlie Puth played on a small black speaker placed before the first cross . The song was intermixed with the names of the victims and interviews with survivors . Hundreds of yellow , red , white and orange flowers piled up several inches high stood in front of each cross . White balloons were tied to most crosses and a miniature pumpkin placed on the horizontal part .
Visitors read messages written on the crosses . “ We will miss you so much ” was written twice on Andrea Castilla ’ s cross as was a message in Spanish . In the foreground , Mandalay Bay , from where the shooter unloaded thousands of bullets , rose high , gleaming in the sun ’ s rays . Black billboards reading “ Vegas Strong ,” “ Vegas Together ” and “ Vegas Resilient ” ran along the street south toward the hotel-casino .
Stephine Petitoescamilla came with her daughter , who carried flowers , Saturday afternoon . “ I am born and raised here ; I am just showing that we are strong ,” Petitoescamilla said , choking back tears as she spoke .