Pulse NightClub Shooting - Launched January 31, 2017 - Full multimedia experience: audio / stills / text / video: Go to zReportage.com: 49 died in a shooting at Pulse nightclub. Angel Santiago got out alive. He was a survivor. But, to feel worthy of survival, Angel felt a need to make something of his life. The days Angel spent recovering from the shooting often left him alone in his head, reflecting on his past, worrying about his future. Seven months, since America's deadliest mass-shooting in history unfolded on a Sunday evening on June 12, 2016 in Orlando Florida, 49 families celebrated the holidays without a loved one. So many lives were changed on that day. The Tampa Bay Times and its' staff photographer Loren Elliott, have followed Angel's journey in the months since the massacre at Pulse Nightclub, as Angel tried to make something of his life, to feel worthy of survival.
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June 14, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO, a survivor of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub that killed 49 and wounded many more, is seen surrounded by family while speaking publicly about the events of that night, at Florida Hospital. He recounted the details of the horrifying night that almost took his life. Joining him from left, are sister-in-law ASHLEY SANTIAGO, brother SAM SANTIAGO, grandmother MARIA DIAZ and mother GLORIA SANTIAGO.
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June 14, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - An FBI agent investigates the damaged rear wall of Pulse nightclub, where Omar Mateen killed 49 and wounded many more two days prior, in Orlando. A standoff and gun battle between Mateen and law enforcement took place the night of the shooting.
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June 15, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - The crime scene at Pulse, a gay nightclub where a gunman's rampage killed 49, is seen under investigation. The shooting, which took place in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 12, was the deadliest in American history.
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June 28, 2016 - Altamonte Springs, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO stares out the window of his room at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. Family and friends often came to visit, but the 25 days spent in hospital facilities still resulted in periods of isolation and loneliness.
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September 1, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - An X-ray shows the screws holding together ANGEL SANTIAGO'S left heel, where one of Omar Mateen's bullets shattered the bone, during a follow-up appointment with Dr. Brian Vickaryous at Florida Hospital. Santiago knew he would not be able to walk on his own until the pieces of his heel bone fused back together.
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June 28, 2016 - Altamonte Springs, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO, one of the wounded survivors of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub that killed 49, works with physical therapist SALONI AGARWAL for the first time at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Altamonte Springs. Santiago experienced significant muscle atrophy following the shooting, and needed to regain strength despite continuing pain from his injuries.
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June 28, 2016 - Altamonte Springs, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO does resistance exercise with physical therapist SALONI AGARWAL in the therapy gym at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Altamonte Springs. Santiago joked about needing a pedicure while at Florida Hospital, so the nurses there arranged one for him. Only his right foot could be pedicured, as his left foot was still bandaged because of a healing bullet wound.
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June 28, 2016 - Altamonte Springs, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO, one of the wounded survivors of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub that killed 49, wheels his way toward the therapy gym at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital with physical therapist SALONI AGARWAL. Santiago experienced significant muscle atrophy following the shooting, and needed to regain strength despite continuing pain from his injuries.
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July 26, 2016 - Sanford, Florida, U.S. - A tattoo commemorating the tragedy at Pulse nightclub is seen on ANGEL SANTIAGO'S left arm. Santiago created the custom design.
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July 5, 2016 - Altamonte Springs, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO recounted what details of the shooting he could clearly remember in a journal while confined to his room at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. Pictured here, he looks back at an entry titled ''The Attack,'' two days after writing it. Santiago was motivated to describe the early morning hours of June 12 in writing so he wouldn't forget them, but only made it part way through the events of that night before needing to stop because of the trauma. He didn't pick the journal back up for the rest of his time at the hospital.
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July 15, 2016 - Sanford, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO kisses infant nephew ROMAN SANTIAGO at their home in Sanford. Angel's sister-in-law Ashley Santiago gave birth to Roman prematurely nine days after the Pulse shooting, leaving her husband and Angel's brother, Sam Santiago, to commute between two hospitals. Angel balanced uncle-duties with his own rehabilitation once he was released to go home.
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September 15, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO zones out while mother GLORIA SANTIAGO (left) and sister-in-law ASHLEY SANTIAGO (second from right) talk over lunch plans following a Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff event at Orlando City Hall. Gloria Santiago was visiting from Philadelphia for the second time since the shooting. Seen in the foreground is Angel's brother Sam Santiago, with son Roman Santiago.
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July 15, 2016 - Sanford, Florida, U.S. - SAM SANTIAGO hands his infant son, ROMAN SANTIAGO, to brother ANGEL SANTIAGO, at their home. Sam, his wife Ashley, son Roman, and Angel share a two-bedroom place. Ashley gave birth to Roman prematurely nine days after the Pulse shooting, leaving Sam to commute between two hospitals, one taking care of his brother and the other taking care of his wife and prematurely-born son.
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August 18, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO checks in for a flight home to Philadelphia at Orlando International Airport. Santiago had arranged in advance for a wheelchair escort, but spontaneously decided to make it to the gate unassisted, just with the use of crutches, upon arriving at the airport. The trip to Santiago's hometown to visit family and friends was his first time getting on a plane or leaving the state since the Pulse shooting. He traveled alone.
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September 1, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - Dr. BRIAN VICKARYOUS, a surgeon at Florida Hospital inspects Angel Santiago's healing left foot during a follow-up appointment. Vickaryous had inserted screws to help Santiago's heel fuse back together where a bullet shattered the bone. Santiago would not be able to walk without crutches until the bone fully healed and atrophied muscles regained strength.
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July 15, 2016 - Sanford, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO inspects the healing entry wound where a bullet went through his knee while sitting on his bed at his home. Another bullet pierced his left heel, shattering the bone.
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July 15, 2016 - Sanford, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO lies exhausted on his bed after struggling to get upstairs from the living room of his home. Limited to a walker or crutches to get around with the use of only one leg, it was a tiring ordeal for Santiago just to navigate his own home.
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September 15, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO hugs friend JEFF RODRIGUEZ, who went to Pulse with him and was also shot that night, at a Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff event at Orlando City Hall. Santiago and Rodriguez hid together in a bathroom at the club during Omar Mateen's shooting spree, where they were both shot multiple times but escaped with their lives.
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September 22, 2016 - Orlando, Florida, U.S. - ANGEL SANTIAGO (second from left) holds hands with fellow members of QLatinX, a support group founded in response to the Pulse shooting and with the mission of empowering LGBTQ Latinos. Santiago attends weekly gatherings, where members work to empower one another in overcoming the challenges of being part of a marginalized community. The founders of the group felt that while there were already organizations dedicated to Latino communities and others dedicated to LGBTQ communities, none existed to support individuals living at the intersection of those identities.
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