ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando realtor and his team of volunteers are working to help meet the needs of families of the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting as they make funeral arrangements for their loved ones.
Christian West-Howard is offering up his empty properties as free rental accommodations for families coming to Orlando. He initially posted his offer on Facebook, where word quickly spread.
"They're just happy, they're just really happy," West-Howard said. "There's only so much we can do. We can't give them back their children, their brothers or sister. We just want to make it easy for them, so when they look back in a few years when they have more peace in their heart, they can see there was humanity here."
West-Howard, who says he's been going to the Pulse nightclub since he was 18 years old, planned to go on the night of the massacre. He says for some reason, though, he decided to stay home, not knowing a crazed shooter was targeting the LGBT community.
West-Howard's efforts now go beyond just offering families a place to stay. Lawyers have come forward to help families coming from out of the country arrange their visas and other travel plans. People are offering to deliver food to the doorsteps of victims' families while they are here.
"We want you to step on the plane and come here worry-free, expense-free, that's our goal, so that's where we at," West-Howard said.
Businesses are offering free caskets and free limousine service. Kuhn Flowers, a Jacksonville company with a store in Orlando, has offered to provide flowers for each of the funerals.
"Kuhn Flowers has built a heritage of contributing to our community in every way we can in times of need. At this time of grief, we should all be reaching out to help in the healing process," Kuhn owner Marty McCall said.
West-Howard and his volunteers have created a hashtag #EveryoneCanDoSomething, and it's a call the Orlando community is answering.
"A lot of people are offering flowers for funerals, people are offering rooms for their homes, offering to pick people up, them around, anything you can thing has been offered, pet care," said volunteer Simon Morgan.
The response from the community has moved West-Howard.
"I've cried a lot off and on, and it hits and I'm so amazed at this, these people," he said.
Anyone who wants to help in his efforts can contact West-Howard through Facebook or by email.