Mercedez Marisol Flores was 26 when she was killed in the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016. A Hispanic woman originally from Queens, New York, she worked at Target and was a student at Valencia College. Friends and family remembered her for a love of music and a dream of becoming a party planner. She was at Pulse with a close friend, Amanda Alvear, who also died in the attack.

The shooter, Omar Mateen, killed 49 people and wounded 53 others before he was killed by police after a three-hour standoff; reports say he pledged allegiance to ISIS during the attack. Investigations described Mateen as acting alone and not directed by an external terrorist organization. The shooting prompted lawsuits by victims families against entities including the nightclub and the shooter’s employer and generated nationwide discussion about gun control, hate crimes, and the safety of LGBTQ+ spaces.

Did anyone who knew Mercedez or her plans that night want to share memories or information?