NEWS
FAMILIES OF ORLANDO VICTIMS
TURN TO LATINO-RUN FUNERAL
HOME TO MOURN AND PAY TRIBUTE
“WE’RE HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY, HERE TO HELP THEM
AND GIVE THEM WHATEVER THEY NEED,” CARMONA
SAID. “WE HAVE COUNSELORS WE REFER PEOPLE TO. WE
HAVE PRIESTS, PASTORS WHO HELP THEM.”
When Aracely Carmona arrived in
Carmona is of Puerto Rican descent
the central Florida town of Kissim-
like 23 of the 49 victims of the killer
mee more than a decade ago, she
Omar Mateen; who was shot dead by
learned there were no funeral homes
police. More than 90 percent of the
that catered to Latinos.
dead are Latinos.
The community was growing signifi-
“We are here for the community,
cantly in Kissimmee, as well as neigh-
here to help them and give them
boring Orlando, and the central part
whatever they need,” Carmona said.
of the state in general. There was a
“We have counselors we refer people
deep need for an establishment that
to. We have priests, pastors who
was culturally in tune with Hispanics
help them.”
that could help the community, which
included many people who were not
The funeral home is not charging
fluent in English, sort out matters
several organizations, such as
and plan burials at one of the most
Disney, have given substantial
vulnerable moments in their lives.
donations to cover costs, including
funeral-related ones faced by fami-
That gave rise to the Funeraria San
lies of the victims.
Juan Funeral Home, which now finds
itself as one of the places where
Jet Blue has offered to transport
families and friends of the victims of
relatives of the deceased and those
the massacre at the gay nightclub
who are hospitalized to the Orlando
on Sunday are turning to mourn and
area free of charge. It also is trans-
pay tribute to their loved ones.
porting the bodies that will be buried
outside the Orlando area, according
Over the last couple of days, the
to published reports.
home has been packed, with 100 or
more friends and relatives of those
City officials released a statement
who were slaughtered at Pulse.
saying that they “are helping to coordinate assistance efforts for family
“We’ve had eight victims brought
members of the deceased; those
here so far,” Carmona, the director
suffering physical and emotional
and manager of the funeral home,
injuries; club staff and patrons and
told Fox News Latino. “We are send-
others directly impacted by this
ing one of the bodies back to Puerto
tragedy.”
Rico.”
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