The Survivors

A year after the tragic shooting that took the lives of five people at Club Q, a popular gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, a memorial at the front of the building is a testament to what the local community has endured. In the days and weeks following the attack, mourners paid tribute to the victims and survivors by laying at Club Q’s façade a collection of votive candles, plastic flamingos, artificial flower bouquets, and sparkling stuffed unicorns, which have become worn and matted after 12 months of Colorado climate. A smiling teddy bear, faded light pink from the sharp sunlight of high altitude, bears a weathered, hand-written message.

“In the end, we all just want… need to feel love,” it reads in thick permanent marker, the word “need” underlined for extra emphasis.

Read more of Nico Lang's reporting for them.