#RestInPRIDE video campaign launches – 49 people recall prideful memories and pay tribute to those who died in Orlando

The #RestInPRIDE video campaign was launched today as a way for people to share their most prideful memory and pay tribute to the 49 people who lost their lives inside of Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

A group of 49 people – including Greg Louganis, Wilson Cruz, Bruce Vilanch, Candis Cayne and Rumer Willis – lead off the video by saying: ‘Our brothers and sisters lives were taken far too soon in Orlando. We have two choices. To let the experience shatter our souls or build a stronger community who won’t be silenced.

‘Being gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender is a beautiful life – something to be proud of.’

They say to those who died: ‘Though new memories won’t be made by you, I share my most prideful memory in your honor.’

Then each person, who later puts on rainbow war paint, holds up a photo of one of the Orlando fallen and shares a ‘prideful’ memory from their own life in their name.

Louganis holds up a photo of Enrique Rios, who was 25 when he died, and recalls riding in the San Diego Gay Pride Parade in 1995 with his mom.

​Cayne holds up a photo of Peter Ommy Gonzalez-Cruz, 22, and says her most prideful memory was ‘coming out as transgender and having my parents fly to me.’

Cruz holds up a photo of his relative Brenda Lee Marquez-McCool who died protecting her son from the Orlando gunman.

He says he most prideful memory is of ‘my cousin Brenda when she told me just how much she loved her gay son and that she’d do anything to protect him.’

Other memories include first kisses, parents wishing happy pride to their gay child for the first time, inviting a first love home for Christmas, getting married on pride weekend, dancing in a gay nightclub in Paris, feeling free at the beach after gender confirmation surgery, and going to a gay nightclub for the first time – Pulse in Orlando.