A Survivor Dances
Angel Colon is a Pulse victim survivor and a lover of Zumba.
The Zumba Instructor Network, who held their convention in Orlando recently, honored Angel for his bravery and determination. Angel was shot six times during the massacre at Pulse.
Just over a month later, he was able to use a walker to go on stage and speak to the convention. “This past month has been the worst month of my life, but going through this there’s been nothing but love and support from everyone,” he told the crowd.
The Zumba Instructor Network announced the start of the “Zumba Fitness Angel Institution”, which is a scholarship to be used to send one instructor who demonstrates love and diversity to the annual convention. The Zumba Instructor Network also announced that they would be paying for all of Angel’s physical therapy and his rent for a year.
Angel danced to the song “Love Make the World Go Round,” a song released by Jennifer Lopez and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the Broadway sensation “Hamilton.” The song was created for the Orlando victims families and to address the needs of the mentally ill. Lopez stated “The world really needs the message of love being the answer. That’s what really matters; that’s what really makes the world go ’round, nothing else. Hate, anger, it’s not gonna get us anywhere.”
Before Angel went on stage he received a message from JLo herself: “Stand tall, Angel and dance, dance as the world is watching.”
Check out Angel’s triumphant return here.
Tags: Angel Colon, dance, FL, Florida, Hamilton, Jennifer Lopez, JLO, LGBT, LGBTQ, Lin-Manuel Miranda, mental illness, Orlando, Pulse, Pulse Nightclub, Zumba