When the Pulse shooting left 49 people dead and more than 50 injured, it left several children without a mother or a father. The Bridges of Light Foundation is now working to provide college scholarships for those children.

  • Bridges of Light Foundation offering scholarships 
  • Children of Pulse victims, survivors eligible
  • Leo Melendez's daughter was awarded a scholarship Thursday
  • COMPLETE COVERAGE: Pulse, Six Months Later

On June 122016, Leo Melendez’s friends and family found out Melendez was not on the list of people being treated at the hospital. Melendez was shot in the head and they had not heard from him, so they tried to accept that he was dead. And they made a promise to each other. 

“We need to make sure that Leo’s daughter is taken care of, no matter what,” said friend Jorge Cruz.

They later found out Melendez was the one patient listed as “John Doe,” unidentified. Melendez was alive, but fighting for his life. He would spend seven weeks in the hospital, much of it in a coma. 

Ten months later, Melendez is still on the road to recovery. He has limited hearing and eyesight, and can’t walk very well. His future is uncertain.

“I don’t know what the future is holding for me,” said Melendez. “Right now I still have a lot of health issues going on.”

But Melendez won’t have to worry about his daughter’s education. On Thursday, the Bridges of Light Foundation presented his daughter Bella with a four-year scholarship to college.

Bridges of Light, which helps disadvantaged children in Central Florida, is also raising money to provide scholarships to several children who lost their parents in the Pulse tragedy. 

“When it’s over you think what will happen now, what’s the legacy, what will happen with these families? What can we really do to make a difference?” said Stacey Papp, Bridges of Light Foundation’s founder.

“It’s good because I get to learn more,” said Bella Melendez.

Thanks to Bridges of Light, Melendez’s family and friends were able to deliver on their promise.

“Because of you guys, I promise I’m going to keep putting all the effort I have to make it, to be there for my daughter, and to be a better person, because that’s all we can do at the end of the day,” said Melendez, speaking to the crowd at a luncheon and fundraiser Thursday where he and his daughter Bella were presented with the scholarship.

Bridges of Light is reaching out to the community for donations as it strives to help more children reach their dreams.  If you’d like to help, go to www.bridgesoflightfoundation.org, or you can email info@bridgesoflightfoundation.org or call the foundation at (407) 490-3290.