PrideFest will have special meaning this month as Club Q victims will be honored
The Pikes Peak Pride Fest will honor the victims of the Club Q shooting on Saturday.
The event is a way to keep the memory alive of those who lost their lives more than six months ago.
Local veteran, Rich Fierro, who helped save so many lives on November 19, will be leading this weekend's celebration as the Grand Marshal.
"It was the first time I cried when somebody asked me to do something," Fierro said.
Fierro is heralded as a hero for stopping the Club Q shooter.
He's been celebrating pride in Colorado Springs for five years, but this year will be different.
"For the LGBTQ community in this environment right now to open to their arms to a straight guy to lead their parade, to me that was the most touching, most important thing out of all of this," Fierro said.
A little over six months ago, Fierro and his family were at Club Q in Colorado Springs supporting a friend, when a gunman opened fire and took the lives of five people, including his daughter's boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance.
"Our little table of six people, we came out as five, but we spent that time as a group of six happy as can be in an environment that was promoting everyone to be themselves and it was a beautiful thing," Fierro recalled.
Fierro tackled the gunman and disarmed him. Fierro and his family are still dealing with the aftermath of that tragic night.
"You can't get away from it, you'll always look at your scars, you'll always look at those things or the noise or the smell that reminds you of it," Fierro said.
It's trauma their dealing with now, but holding on to their community.
"We all had a heroic moment in there and that's why I always say the whole room is my family now, and I don't take that lightly," Fierro said.
Remembering their intentions that night helps them move along.
"We were just having a good time, and that is something I hope resonates with folks, there was nothing negative going on until somebody came to destroy that and that is somebody's choice, all of us were making a choice to be happy," Fierro expressed.
The Pikes Peak Pride event begins on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The parade will be on Sunday, starting at 11 a.m.
