>> THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

COMING UP.

MAJOR CUTS ARE LOOMING FOR FLORIDA'S HIV ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITH FUNDING POTENTIALLY BEING SLASHED BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

THE FALLOUT FOR PEOPLE RELIANT ON THE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.

AND EMOTIONAL PERFORMANCE IN BONITA SPRINGS SHARES THE STORY OF THE MURDER OF MATTHEW SHEPARD.

AND ITS UNDERLYING MESSAGE STILL RESONATES WITH THOSE CLOSEST TO THE MAN AT THE CENTER OF THE SHOW AND 10 YEARS AFTER THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING, WE LEARNED HOW THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY HAS UNITED U.S.

SINCE THE TRAGEDY.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 130,000 PEOPLE IN FLORIDA LIVE WITH HIV, ACCORDING TO A 2 UNITED, NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF THOSE FIGHTING THE VIRUS RELY ON THE STATE AIDS DRUG ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SLASHED ELIGIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAM WHICH WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED HALF OF THE ENROLLEES OF A DOUBT.

TEMPORARY FUNDING HAS BEEN APPROVED TO KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING, BUT IT'S ONLY GUARANTEE TO THE END OF THE MONTH.

WGCUS KATE CRONIN LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS WILL HAVE ON THOSE LIVING WITH HIV WHO RELY ON THE ASSISTANCE.

>> I'M JOINED BY ESTEBAN WOOD, THE DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME, MISTER.

WHAT?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> NOW HERE IN FLORIDA, WE SAW ACCESS TO HIV MEDICATION CUT IN MARCH.

IT WAS LATER RESTORED IN THE MONTH THROUGH EMERGENCY LEGISLATION FROM GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS WHO WANTED TO SEE THIS CUT IN RESTORATION AFFECTING YOUR PATIENTS.

>> YEAH.

WELL, FIRST OFF IN JANUARY, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ANNOUNCED REALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE AIDS DRUG ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, ESSENTIALLY CUTTING 12,000 OF OUR NEIGHBORS OF OUR FRIENDS, OUR FAMILY MEMBERS OFF OF MEDICATION THAT REALLY KEEPS THEM ALIVE.

THEY RESTRICTED AND REMOVED 2 POPULAR HIV DRUGS OFF OF THE LIST OF AVAILABLE MEDICATIONS AND THEY CUT ELIGIBILITY.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, YOU KNOW, IF I'M SOMEONE WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE EXTREME COST OF HIV MEDICATION, IT CAN BE UPWARDS OF $4,500 A MONTH.

FOR MEDICATION THAT KEEPS ME ALIVE.

THE STATE ESSENTIALLY REDUCED THE MAXIMUM ANNUAL INCOME.

YOU COULD HAVE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS HELP.

THEY REDUCED IT FROM ABOUT $63,000 A YEAR TO JUST ABOVE $20,000 A YEAR.

THAT MEANS, BUT IF I'M MAKING $35,000 A YEAR AND WORKING 9 TO 5, I'M CARRYING MULTIPLE JOBS.

I CAN NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT HELP THAT KEEPS ME ALIVE.

>> SO IT'S LIKE A REALLY SERIOUS ISSUE.

AND YOU HAVE REPORTED THAT AHF IS THE LARGEST PROVIDER OF HIV MEDICAL CARE IN THE WORLD.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN MORE WHY ACCESS TO THIS TREATMENT IS SO IMPORTANT?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, SO NOT ONLY DO HIV MEDICATIONS, KEEP, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO'S LIVING WITH HIV, STABLE VIRALLY, SUPPRESSED ALIVE AND HEALTHY.

BUT ALSO IT ALLOWS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE, YOU KNOW, STABLE, HEALTHY AND PROTECTED.

RIGHT?

WHAT WE REALLY WANT AS PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCATES IS TO GET TO A POINT WHERE COMMUNITIES VIRAL SUPPRESSION RATE REMAIN AS HIGH AS THEY CAN BE.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THERE'S NO THREAT OR DANGER FOR HIV TO BE PASSED FROM ONE PERSON TO THE NEXT.

AND SO WE NEED WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE REMAIN IN TREATMENT.

STAY ON TREATMENT.

I GET ON TREATMENT AND DOING THIS CUTTING ELIGIBILITY KICKING 12,000 PEOPLE OFF OF THEIR MEDS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

WE SHOULD BE PUTTING MORE PEOPLE ON HIV DRUGS WHO NEED THEM RIGHT.

AND THAT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT FLORIDA DECIDED TO DO.

WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT THE LEGISLATURE DECIDED TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE, UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL SITUATION.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS ON THAT ECONOMIC FRONT ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH FRONT IN ON THE MORAL FRONT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

>> WHAT KIND OF DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE YOU SEEN BEING IMPACTED BY THESE CHANGES IN INCOME ELIGIBILITY FOR THE FLORIDA AIDS DRUG ASSISTANCE PROGRAM?

>> THIS ISSUE EFFECTS EVERY SINGLE CORNER OF THE STATE FROM PENSACOLA.

SO JACKSONVILLE DOWN TO THE FLORIDA KEYS TO FORT MYERS.

I MEAN, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES PREDOMINANTLY WHO HAVE WHO ARE UNFORTUNATELY ARE IN THE MOST AT RISK OF GETTING HIV.

BUT ALSO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER.

RURAL COMMUNITIES, THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE EASY ACCESS TO A PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE IN CLINICS, HOSPITALS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AT THEIR NEW RURAL FLORIDA, REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET ACCESS NOT ONLY TO PUBLIC HEALTH CARE, BUT ALSO ACCESS TO THESE TRUCKS.

AND SO WHAT?

WE'RE TRYING TO STRESS IS IF WE INVEST MORE INTO THIS PROGRAM THAT OFFERS LIFE-SAVING HELP LIFE-SAVING HEALTH CARE WERE NOT ONLY TAKING CARE OF, YOU KNOW, A DIVERSE SET OF POPULATION, BUT WE'RE ALSO TAKING CARE OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR FRIENDS AND OUR MOMS AND DADS WHO UNFORTUNATELY HIV IN 4, SHE STILL HAS A STIGMA ATTACHED TO IT.

THE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE SO PUBLIC ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THEY WERE DIAGNOSED WITH HIV.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT EFFECTS THOUSANDS, 10'S OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND FLORIDA AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE STEPPED IN AND DID THE RIGHT THING.

>> AND IN SPEAKING TO THAT STIGMA, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LATEST CDC REPORTS FROM 2024.

STATED THAT OVER 60% OF NEW HIV INFECTIONS WERE IN OR BISEXUAL MEN.

DOES THIS AFFECT THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR HIV POSITIVE PATIENTS AT ALL?

ABSOLUTELY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT DOES.

AND IN THE AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION OFFERS HEALTH CARE, YOU KNOW, AT FREE OR REDUCED COST, YOU KNOW WHERE WE WE ACCEPT PEOPLE.

AND IF YOU CAN AFFORD, YOU KNOW, HEALTH CARE OR NOT INSURED FOLKS, UNINSURED FOLKS, WE ARE A NONPROFIT HEALTH CARE OPERATOR, BUT IMPORTANTLY, WE DO NOT EXCLUSIVELY SERVE THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

WE SERVE EVERYONE NO MATTER YOUR RACE, NO MATTER YOUR ETHNICITY, NO MATTER YOUR ORIENTATION.

AND SO DOES IT IMPACT ARE, YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO OFF OR THAT LEVEL OF CARE.

ABSOLUTELY.

IT DOES.

AND AND WE'RE CONCERNED THAT ALL OF THIS TRITE, ALL OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTED TO, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST 10 YEARS WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS ON ERADICATING HIV AND AIDS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO MEET A LOT OF PROGRESS AND WE WERE CONCERNED WHEN THESE CHANGES WERE ANNOUNCED IN EARLY JANUARY THAT WE WOULD ESSENTIALLY SET OURSELVES BACK DECADES OF PROGRESS.

AND, YOU KNOW, TO SOME EXTENT WE'RE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THAT POSSIBILITY IN ABOUT THAT THREAT.

WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE NOW ABOUT WHERE WE ARE GIVEN THE PROGRESS MADE THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

BUT BUT ABSOLUTELY WE SHOULD BE HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY OPERATORS, MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH LEGISLATORS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE AND MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY.

WE NEED, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS CRISIS.

HIV IS A CRISIS.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF FOR THOSE THAT THOSE FOLKS WHO REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, THE THE THE ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY, IT WAS TO BE SOMEONE LIVING WITH HIV IN THE 70'S AND 80'S AND 90'S.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET BACK TO THAT PLACE.

WE WANT TO WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN AS A COMMUNITY AS A SOCIETY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HISTORY CAN NEVER BE REPEATED.

>> MISTER ESTEBAN WOULD THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY AND SHARING THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.

>> NEXT ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS AN UPCOMING STAGE PERFORMANCE CAPTURES THE EMOTIONS SURROUNDING THE BRUTAL MURDER OF MATTHEW SHEPARD.

WE PREVIEW THE SHOW AND SPEAK WITH THE COMMANDER IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO LED THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE KILLING.

THE 1998 MURDER OF 21 YEAR-OLD MATTHEW SHEPARD IN LARAMIE, WYOMING SHOCKED THE NATION AND THE WORLD.

HIS KILLING WIDELY VIEWED AS A TRAGIC SYMBOL OF ANTI-GAY VIOLENCE.

SHEPARD WAS ROBBED.

IT TIED TO A FENCE POST TORTURED AND LEFT TO DIE.

THE TOWN'S EFFORTS TO COME TOGETHER IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HORRIFIC KILLING GAVE RISE TO THE LARAMIE PROJECT.

IT'S A PLAY THAT HAS BEEN PERFORMED IN FRONT OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES AND 13 LANGUAGES.

NOW, THE LARAMIE PROJECT TAKES CENTER STAGE IN BONITA SPRINGS WGCU REPORTER TOM HALL HAS DETAILS.

>> I SWEAR I SAW HERD OF BUFFALO.

>> ALSO, I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT THE WYOMING SIDE SAID.

>> CODY SEE JONES HAS DIRECTED HAIR HAITI'S TOWN TEEN EDITION.

CARRIE, THE MUSICAL IN BULLETPROOF BACKPACK.

HE GRAVITATES TOWARDS PLAYS THAT RAISED MORE QUESTIONS THAN THEY ANSWER THE LARAMIE PROJECT AS ANOTHER.

>> WE LOVE TO PUT ON AN AMAZING ENTERTAINMENT.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

BUT WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO US IS MAKING SURE WE'RE PRODUCING SHOWS THAT CHALLENGE OUR COMMUNITY AND GIVE OUR COMMUNITY SUBJECT MATTER.

NEEDS TO DISCUSS AND WORK OVER AND TALK ABOUT.

AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT TIME THAT WE REVISIT THE STORY OF MATTHEW SHEPARD LARAMIE PROJECT CAST MEMBER AND RECENT ESTERO HIGH GRADUATE JALEN, LIBYA SAYS SADLY.

>> THE TIMING IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

>> I THINK HATE CRIMES AND VIOLENCE AGAINST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.

I HAVE GONE DOWN SINCE MATTHEW AND THEN SHOT RIGHT BACK UP.

>> HER SUSPICIONS WERE CONFIRMED BY MATTHEW SHEPARD'S, FATHER DENNIS, WHO SPOKE WITH THE CAST LAST WEEK VIA ZOOM, ALMOST COMPLETELY BACK TO WORK WAS LIKE.

>> IN 1998, FOR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ALL THE MORE SHE WAS CLEAR THIS.

NOW THAT'S RACE, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN.

CHANDOR.

>> ACCORDING TO GLASS ANTI LGBTQ EXTREMISM.

REPORTING TRACKER IN 2025.

THERE WERE 1042 ANTI LGBTQ+ INCIDENTS ACROSS 47 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THAT MARKED A 5% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

OVER HALF, SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONCONFORMING PEOPLE.

>> THAT'S WHY THE LARAMIE PROJECT IS OUT THERE AND STILL BEING PRODUCED TO THE STAY.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO GLAD FOR DOING IT HERE.

YOU'RE TO BE A YOUNG MAN.

>> AND 13 14 YEARS OLD BECAUSE HE WAS SO TIGHT.

>> NEITHER OF THE CRIME NOR THE TRIALS OF THE KILLERS WERE THE FOCUS OF PLAYWRIGHT MOISES KAUFMAN AND HE'S TECTONIC THEATER PROJECT CO CREATIVES.

THEY CAME TO LARAMIE A MONTH AFTER THE MURDER TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER LARAMIE WAS DIFFERENT FROM WERE IDENTICAL TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

THERE'S A FAMOUS QUOTE IN THE SHOW THAT THEY BASICALLY SAY.

>> THIS ISN'T LARAMIE.

THIS LARAMIE IS IS BIGGER AND BETTER THAN THIS.

AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE DEFINED BY THE TRAGEDY IN SOME WAYS.

I THINK WHAT REALLY HUMANIZES THIS SPECIFIC STORY IS IT BRINGS TOGETHER SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF CONTRACTING OPINION AND PERSPECTIVE TO REALLY COME TO FIND OUT THAT THEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING VERY EARNEST AND AND IN COMMON AND THAT'S THAT WE'RE ALL HUMAN THAT WE ALL WANT THE SAME THINGS THAT WE A LIVE AND BREATHE AND WE ALL BLEED THE SAME COLOR.

>> PSYCHOLOGIST DOCTOR LORE RIGHT HAS 2 CHILDREN WHO OFTEN PERFORMING ARTS BONITA.

SHE'S INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH JONES APPROACH TO PRODUCING SHOWS THAT CONTAIN CONTROVERSIAL THEMES.

HE DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS AT THE END.

>> HE GIVES YOU LOTS OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AND LOTS OF THINGS TO TALK WITH.

MAYBE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU CAME TO THE SHOW AT THE WORK, MAYBE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAD DINNER WITH EARLIER.

>> HE DID IT.

AND THE THING.

>> IN THE AFTERMATH OF SHEPARD'S MURDER LARAMIE RALLIED TOGETHER TO DEAL WITH THE TRAGEDY THAT SAYS JONES RAISES ONE CRUCIAL QUESTION.

>> WHY DOES IT TAKE A TRAGEDY TO BRING A COMMUNITY TOGETHER?

>> CITING THE WORK OF STANFORD PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR JAMEEL ZACK E RIGHT OFFERS THIS POSSIBLE EXPLANATION.

THERE IS A TERM FOR THIS CALL, CATASTROPHE, COMPASSION.

>> AND IT'S THIS IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMETHING REALLY TERRIBLE HAPPENS, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH ACTIVE OF MEN OR OR OR NATURE OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO GET TOGETHER AND HELP EACH OTHER.

AND THAT I AND I BELIEVE THAT IS A AS A PERCENT THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST INHERENTLY GOOD AND WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF LEND A HAND IF THEY COULD.

>> DENNIS AND JUDY SHEPARD, EXPERIENCE THIS DURING THE 5 DAYS THERE, SOME LINGERED IN THE HOSPITAL BEFORE HE DIED OF HIS INJURIES.

HIS STORY AHEAD AND THE UGLY SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD.

THERE ARE CANDLELIGHT VIGILS ALL OVER THE WORLD FROM RUSSIAN.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TAIWAN ALL OVER EUROPE.

SAUDI ARABIA, OF ALL PLACES OVER THE LEAST.

>> SAYS JONES, THE LARAMIE PROJECT HAS CAUSED HIM TO REALLY REFLECT ON WHO AND WHAT COMMUNITY IS.

THAT SHOULD BE REALLY KIND OF MADE ME REFLECT ON.

>> COMMUNITY WHERE THE TIMES THAT I FELT THE NATIONS COME TOGETHER THE MOST AND THE EXAMPLES I CAME UP WITH WERE COLUMBINE, PARKLAND, OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING 9.11, OR THE TRAGEDIES.

YOU KNOW, AND IT DOES FORCE AND BEG THE QUESTION.

HOW CAN WE BE BIGGER AND BETTER AS A COMMUNITY AND FIND WAYS TO COME TOGETHER ON COMMON GROUND WITH OUT THE TRAGEDY.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING.

>> SAYS DOCTOR LAURA, RIGHT?

IT CAN START BY THE SIMPLE ACT OF GOING TO THE THEATER.

>> AFTER YOU HAVE SAT IN A THEATER AND YOU WATCH THE LIVE PERFORMANCE AND YOU START TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE UNDERSTANDING OF A TOPIC.

THEY REALLY DOES TRIGGER THIS IDEA OF LIKE, OH, WAIT A MINUTE.

I KNOW I KNOW SOMEBODY LIKE THAT OR I HAVE A MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY SAY IS AND SO AGAIN CAN KIND OF TRIGGER THIS OTHER IDEA LIKE, HEY, LET'S HOPE HAVE EMPATHY FOR EACH OTHER.

>> I FEEL SUCH A STRONG CASE.

THIS YOUNG MAN.

>> PERFORMANCES OF THE LARAMIE PROJECT OR IN THE MOTOR TOURNAMENT ARTS BONITA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

>> WE ARE NOW JOINED BY WGCU ARTS REPORTER TOM HALL.

AND TOM, I FOUND IT RATHER INTERESTING THAT MATTHEW SHEPARD'S, FATHER DENNIS, ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THE CAST.

HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

>> GOOD TO SHARE.

BRICK USED TRACK OF EVERY PRODUCTION OF THE LARAMIE PROJECT.

SO ARTS, BONITA, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JOSEPH BROWER, ARRANGE FOR THE CAST TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH HIM AS PART OF THE RESEARCH INTO THE SHOP.

THE COWS GOT ASKING 3 QUESTIONS AND THEY MADE THE MOST OF THAT OPPORTUNITY.

ONE YOUNG MAN ASKED HOW HE FELT THE FIRST TIME HE SAW LARAMIE PROJECT PERFORMED.

ANOTHER ASKED HIM WHETHER THE TRAGEDY GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE, INCLUDING MATTHEW'S FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HE WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE KNOWN.

AND JALEN LIA'S WHO YOU SAW IN THE PACKAGE ASKED HIM WHY HE AGREED TO TAKE THE DEATH PENALTY OFF THE TABLE AT THE END OF THE AARON MCKINNEY TRIAL.

DENNIS SHEPARD GAVE LONG THOUGHTFUL ANSWERS TO EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS.

AND THEN HE SURPRISED EVERYONE BY REVEALING THAT ONE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO RAN THE INVESTIGATION, COMMANDER DAVID O'MALLEY, HE NOW LIVES IN BONITA SPRINGS.

DAVID O'MALLEY AGREED TO SIT DOWN WITH WGS YOU FOR AN INTERVIEW AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE HIS REALLY POWERFUL STORY WITH YOU.

NOW.

ON OCTOBER 7, 1998, DAVID O MALLEY WAS COMMANDER OF THE LARAMIE.

WYOMING POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I WAS DIRECTING THE DETECTIVE DIVISION.

>> I HAD 4 INVESTIGATORS AND MYSELF TO.

WERE ASSIGNED TO THAT.

HE WAS INVESTIGATING AARON MCKINNEY AND RUSSELL HENDERSON, BUT NOT FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD'S, ABDUCTION AND TORTURE.

THEY HAD GOTTEN INTO AN ALTERCATION WITH 2 LATINO ILEANA MORALES AND JEREMY HERRERA.

POLICE OFFICER PULLS IN THE AREA.

>> SHE'S MCKINNEY AND HENDERSON.

THEY RUN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.

>> HE CHASES ONE THAT ENDS UP BEING HENDERSON.

>> EVENTUALLY CATCHES HIM IN SOMEONE'S BACKYARD.

AND THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING REALLY STARTED.

WE STILL UNKNOWN ABOUT MATT.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS OUT THERE AND THEY CERTAINLY DIDN'T HELP.

>> SHEPARD WASN'T DISCOVERED UNTIL 6.30, ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER.

AND THERE WAS RAW ON ON THE GROUND.

>> I JUST DROVE IT.

>> OVER THE HANDLEBARS AND ENDED UP ON THE GROUND.

>> I GOT UP AND AS YOU KNOW, JUST MYSELF ALL AND I LOOKED AROUND AND I NOTICE.

WHICH ENDED UP TO BE.

A LINE BY FENCE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A SCARECROW.

>> I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A DUMMY.

>> I NOTICED HIS CHEST MOVING UP AND DOWN.

I STILL THOUGHT IT WAS IT DEFINITELY.

I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS SOME SORT OF MECHANISM OR SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW.

WHEN I SAW HIS HAIR.

IT WAS A HUMAN BEING.

>> AND CALLED THE POLICE.

I WAS IN BED WHEN THE PHONE RANG AND I TALKED TO DETECTIVE SERGEANT PERRY GREAT GUY HAS SINCE PASSED INTO STRAM AMOUNT OF WORK ON THIS CASE.

HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD FOUND MATTHEW TIED TO THIS FENCE THAT IT DIDN'T APPEAR THAT HE WAS GOING TO SURVIVE THE INJURIES THAT HE HAD.

AND COULD I COME?

>> O'MALLEY DIDN'T KNOW.

MATTHEW SHEPARD.

>> BUT HE HAD GRADUATED FROM THE CHEYENNE HIGH SCHOOL WITH ONE OF MATTHEWS, UNCLES.

>> AARON MCKINNEY LIVE NEXT DOOR.

TO ME, IT WAS A COUPLE YEARS OLDER THAN MY SON.

RYAN DIDN'T LIKE HIM.

PLAY WITH HIM.

AND HE'S THE ONLY GUY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE TIME.

>> INITIALLY HE THOUGHT THE KIDNAPPING AND ASSAULT WAS MERELY A LOCAL CRIME.

>> BUT THEN THE PHONES BEGAN RINGING.

I PICKED UP THE PHONE.

>> I BELIEVE THAT THE REPORTER AND THEY CALLED IT WAS FROM CHICAGO.

I TALK WITH HIM FOR A FEW MINUTES.

I SAID, SIR, WE'RE REALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A OF A MASS HERE.

WE NEED TO GET THIS INVESTIGATION.

THE CONTINUED AND ALL OF THESE INTERRUPTIONS ARE NOT HELPING AND I SAID, WELL, COULD IT HAVE BEEN A HATE CRIME?

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW.

BUT HE SAYS COULD HAVE BEEN A HATE CRIME.

AND I SAID, YEAH, I COULD HAVE BEEN A CRIME, BUT WE THANK YOU TO SLEEP ON THE PHONE DOWN AND THEN THE PHONES REALLY STARTED DURING A MONTH LATER, 10 ACTORS FROM TECTONIC THEATER PROJECT ARRIVED IN TOWN AND STARTED INTERVIEWING EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CASE.

>> WELL, NOW HE WAS AWARE OF THEIR PRESENCE.

HE NEVER SPOKE TO ANY OF THEM.

BUT HE DID SPEAK AT LENGTH WITH MATTHEW'S PARENTS, DENNIS AND JUDY SHEPARD, MANY OF MATTHEW'S FRIENDS AND NUMEROUS MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN LARAMIE.

THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED CHANGED MY LIFE PERSONALLY.

I CHANGED THE LIVES OF A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE.

>> AND STARTED MAKING PEOPLE THINK ABOUT COMPASSION AND ACCEPTANCE.

>> I WAS A TOTAL HOME FOR HIM.

I WASN'T ASKED WHY I CAME TO.

I MEAN, SPIRITED THINGS AND ALL THE ODDS.

ONE JOKES ABOUT PEOPLE EVER FUNNY THING ABOUT THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND AND SO MOST HYPOCRITICAL FOR ME.

BUT I WENT ONE 80.

>> O'MALLEY IS SEEING THE LARAMIE PROJECT SEVERAL TIMES.

HE'S HAD A STRONG, VISCERAL REACTION EACH TIME.

THAT WASN'T THE IMPETUS FOR HIS ONE.

80.

>> WHENEVER I AT THE WHITE HOUSE THINK IT IS.

HIS INCREDIBLE BEAMING SMILE.

I MEAN, HE WALKING IN.

HE'D JUST BE LIKE.

>> NO, HE JUST SMILED.

AND FOR ME, IT WASN'T THE LARAMIE PROJECT THAT IT WAS THE IT WAS THE SIMPLE FACT THAT I STARTED INTERACTING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN LARAMIE.

>> BUT FEW OTHERS IN LARAMIE HAD THAT LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

FOR MANY IN THE TOWN, THE CHANGES WERE MORE SUBTLE.

>> MOST PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

YOU KNOW, AND THOSE WHO DID FOR THE MOST PART, AT LEAST THAT I SAW.

OR OR REFLECTIVE AND POSITIVE.

SO I AND I'M SURE THEY'RE NOT ALL LIKE THAT.

IF NOTHING ELSE, TOLERANCE LAW.

AS IT IS BETTER THAN BEATING SOMEBODY UP.

>> DAVID O'MALLEY RETIRED 5 YEARS AGO AND NOW RESIDES IN BONITA SPRINGS.

HE WILL GIVE A TALK BACK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE FOLLOWING SUNDAY'S MATINEE >> JUNE 12 MARKS THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING IN ORLANDO.

THE GUNMAN TARGETING THE NIGHTCLUB KILLED 49 PEOPLE AND INJURED 58 OTHERS.

REPORTER JOE MARIO PETERSEN FROM OUR SISTER STATION CENTRAL FLORIDA.

PUBLIC MEDIA SHARES HOW THE ORLANDO COMMUNITY HAS REALLY COME TOGETHER SINCE THE MASSACRE 10 YEARS AGO.

>> FOR CHRISTINE LINE AND IN JUNE, 12TH 2016 IS A DAY SHE WILL NEVER FORGET.

IT'S THE DAY HER SON CHRISTOPHER DREW LINE AND HIS BOYFRIEND KONG RAMON GIVE NATIONAL HAD GONE TO PULSE NIGHTCLUB FOR A LATIN DANCE NIGHT.

THE 2 MEN WERE AMONG THE 49 PEOPLE KILLED THERE THAT DAY.

THAT THOUGHT ALWAYS BRINGS ME BACK TO MY BOW BECAUSE I STILL THINK OF MY SON WHO IS 32.

I STILL THINK OF HIM BEING A LITTLE ONE.

USE A LITTLE OF MY LITTLE SON.

>> HE'S MY LITTLE BABY.

HE'S MY LITTLE FOR GREATER LAYING ON THE FLOOR OF THAT.

>> IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THAT DAY.

BUT LENNON SAYS THAT THE GRIEF OF LOSING HER SON STILL SNEAKS UP ON HER LAST WEEK.

SHE WAS DRIVING AND I >> TRANSPORTED THAT TO 10 YEARS AGO.

AND I STARTED CRYING AS IF I WAS LIKE.

COME ON, CHRISTINE.

IT'S 10 YEARS.

AND THAT'S A COMMON FEELING, ACCORDING TO DEBORAH BEITEL.

SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH CENTER, WORKING TO BETTER TREAT PEOPLE WITH POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

AND SO I THINK THIS IDEA THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN.

>> HALFWAY AND THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN MILESTONES THAT WE ALL HAVE TO BE TO THE SAME TIME.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISUNDERSTANDINGS.

>> BIDEN WORKED WITH SURVIVORS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS AFTER POLLS IN WHAT WE SEE IN A LOT OF.

>> THE SURVIVORS IS THEY LEARN TO LIVE WITH THAT.

I THINK FOR SOME PEOPLE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF A SHOCK BECAUSE AS WE ALL TALK MORE AND AS WE GET CLOSE TO THAT DAY, PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT MAYBE THEY WERE OVER IT ARE GOING TO FIND THEY HAVE SOME SYMPTOMS AGAIN.

BUT THOSE FEELINGS AREN'T ISOLATED TO THOSE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE TRAGEDY.

>> THE REACH OF PULSE SHOOTING WAS WHITE AS ARE THE FEELINGS OF GRIEF SAYS JON SUPER A UCF PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY WHO ALSO WORKED WITH VICTIMS AND FAMILIES.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT NEIGHBORS.

THEY KNEW.

>> THEY WERE CLOSE.

THEY WERE TO DEGREES OF SEPARATION FROM.

>> THE MASSACRE ITSELF.

WHILE THOSE UNEXPECTED MOMENTS OF GRIEF THAT MAY OCCUR NOW CAN BE HARD VITAL IN SUPER BOTH SAY IT'S PART OF THE HEALING PROCESS AND EVERYONE'S PATH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

>> YOU CAN HEAR THE FULL STORY BY HEADING TO THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PUBLIC MEDIA WEBSITE AT CF PUBLIC DOT ORG.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND MAKE SURE YOU VISIT WGCU DOT ORG WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES AND MORE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST