It was seven years ago when our community changed forever.

1 October: A day where courage, trauma, death, community, despair and strength covered Las Vegas. This was a day when Las Vegas changed and revealed its soft white underbelly. It's a day that still haunts us. But, it didn't break us. It made us stronger and tougher. 

A sullen, sinking feeling is felt throughout the city when this painful day comes back around in Vegas. On Oct.1, 2017, a man opened fire on thousands of people who were enjoying, singing and dancing to the sounds of Route 91 Harvest Festival.

It was a day to celebrate music and the vibrant Las Vegas environment. We mourn, honor and will never forget the people who lost their lives during 1 October. We will never forget the victims. We will continue to say their names and honor their stories. The people who died will never be forgotten in history. 

The gunman killed 60 people. Originally, the death toll was declared as 58. However, Channel 13 states that two people died from complications directly related to their injuries, which led Las Vegas Metro Police to change the death toll to 60 during the sunrise remembrance in 2020.

"The entire community of Las Vegas and Clark County was devastated, and the psychological, physical, financial, and social impact of this senseless mass violence crime reverberated across Las Vegas, our Nation, and around the world. In addition to being the largest mass shooting in U.S. history, this tragedy was compounded by lack of certainty about why the perpetrator did what he did, thereby leaving many survivors with unanswered questions," the National Mass Violence Center states. 

The cacophony, trauma, sadness and pain that are connected with 1 October are not the only themes associated with this day. But, courage, community, strength and connection are adjectives that also found their way into the events that unfolded during Route 91.

As another year of the gut-wrenching shooting passes, this incident left our city scathed with deep wounds that haven't been fully healed yet -- even to this day. But through pain comes perseverance and a chance to create a new beginning due to an unfortunate past.

"Perhaps most important, we must all remember. By remembering victims, survivors, and first responders in Las Vegas, we honor the meaningfulness of their individual lives and their personal heroism on that awful evening. By remembering those who were present