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RAK #3: Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo

Anna Blankenheim Death, Random Acts of Kindness, Tragedies , , , , ,

This is the third of 49 random acts of kindness (RAKs) that I’m doing to honor the victims of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting. Hopefully each small act puts a little bit of happiness back out in the world!

This was a fun one… your standard “pay for the person behind me” but with a twist. I went through the drive through at Starbucks and bought a gift card. When I got to the window, I handed the barista my note card. I then asked her to hang on to it until she came across someone having a tough day and to give it to them. This RAK was in honor of Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo (known as Omar) who was one of the youngest victims at 20 years old. He was a dancer and a barista, remembered as a ray of sunshine. Rest in peace, Omar.

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RAK #2: Stanley Almodovar III

Anna Blankenheim Death, Random Acts of Kindness, Tragedies , , , , ,

This is the second of 49 random acts of kindness (RAKs) that I’m doing to honor the victims of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting. Hopefully each small act puts a little bit of happiness back out in the world!

For this RAK, I’m sending some planning supplies anonymously to someone in one of my planning groups. Stanley Almodovar III died a true hero – shielding others from the gunfire. He was 23 at the time of his death and known for his spunk and his love for others. He was a pharmacy technician who was known to bring a smile to the faces of those around him. Rest in peace, Stanley.

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RAK #1: Edward Sotomayor, Jr.

Anna Blankenheim Death, Random Acts of Kindness, Tragedies , , , , ,

This is the first of 49 random acts of kindness (RAKs) that I’m doing to honor the victims of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting. Hopefully each small act puts a little bit of happiness back out in the world!

My first RAK was for Edward Sotomayor Jr. I paid for the lady behind me at the In-N-Out drive through. Eddie was 34 years old at the time of his death and was known to his friends as “Top Hat Eddie”, because he wore top hats when out at events. From all online accounts, he was super friendly, beloved among the LGBTQ community as a promoter and event organizer. He leaves behind a partner (who was at the club that night but stayed outside once the shooting started in part due to a text message from Eddie) and a large family. Rest in peace, Eddie.

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Anna Blankenheim Random Acts of Kindness, Tragedies , , ,

This past weekend an armed man walked into Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando Florida, and opened fire, reigning terror down on over 300 people, killing 49 people in three hours before being killed himself.

I’ve struggled with what I wanted to say about this horrible tragedy and how to say it. Then I realized that it doesn’t matter that I’m a straight white woman… what I have to say is so much more than sexual orientation, color, and gender.

I’m so sorry.

I’m sorry that being a member of the LGBTQ community made you a target. I’m sorry that being yourself made you a target. I’m sorry you couldn’t go out for a fun night of Latin dancing without being murdered or maimed. I’m sorry that we as a nation have not done more to protect you.

I am sorry that our country has taken an event such as this and used it for political purposes. Regardless of your stance on gun control or your political party, I think it’s more important to remember that this is about HUMAN BEINGS. They ate breakfast that morning, just like you. They had hopes and dreams, just like you. They leave behind grieving mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and lovers.

This is not about religion and it’s not about guns. It’s about hatred toward another living being. And it has to stop.

Whenever something like this happens, I feel like I want to help. I know it’s insignificant, but I’m going to do what I did just after the Sandy Hook killings – one random act of kindness for each person who died. That’s 49 small acts that will hopefully inspire the recipients to pay it forward. I’ll share them along the way with a little bit about each victim. Here’s to putting some good back out in the world!