Pulse Survivor, One Year Later
• The simple act of pulling her thick black hair into a ponytail is an accomplishment for Ilka Marie Reyes. Every small milestone is a blessing for the 30-year-old after she was shot nine times by a gunman last year during the massacre at the gay nightclub Pulse where 49 people were killed. Reyes is one of more than 68 survivors who escaped the massacre on June 12 and are slowly piecing their lives back together. When she woke up in the hospital after the attack, her face was so swollen she could barely open her eyes, and she couldn’t walk or move. Four of her best friends died that night, something she still hasn’t completely accepted yet. Reyes had to …
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