Mayor Of Orlando Thanks People Of Wrexham For Letter Of “Caring And Support” After Shooting

A letter sent from by the Mayor of Wrexham to his counterpart in Orlando was one among scores received “from all over the world” which helped “strengthen and sustain” its people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Messages of condolence and support poured into the Florida city of Orlando from across the world in June, after a shooting at the city’s Pulse nightclub, in which 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Among them was a letter sent on behalf of the people of Wrexham by Mayor Cllr John Pritchard, expressing the town’s sadness and support for the American city in the aftermath of the attack. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Buddy Dyer, the Mayor of Orlando, has written a letter of thanks, responding to Cllr Pritchard. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mayor Dyer’s letter reads: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Thankyou for your kind letter. June 12, 2016, was the most difficult day in the history of Orlando, but the outpouring of support and love we have received has overwhelmed us. Both within our own community and from all over the world, letters and emails filled with personal words of kindness, support and offers of assistance have served to strengthen and sustain us. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Everyone knows Orlando as the place where people come to have fun, but I believe Orlando will now be known for something else. We will not be defined by the tragedy that we experienced on that day, but by the collective response of love, compassion and unity in our city. When we needed each other the most we were all there. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We owe a debt of gratitude to you for the caring and support you have given us. No person or community is defined by the action of others, but instead for how we choose to respond and how we treat each other.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Pritchard said: “I’m heartened to see this response from Buddy Dyer, the Mayor of Orlando, thanking us for our letter. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“What happened in Orlando in June was an awful tragedy, but it warms me to see that the messages of heartfelt support from all around the world, including Wrexham, gave them some of the strength they needed at an incredibly difficult time.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​