In the wake of the tragic Orlando shooting on Sunday night, the identity of one of the fallen became clear: Luis Vielma, a 22-year-old who worked at Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park. Author J.K. Rowling has been vocal about her sadness at the loss, and the theme park also held a vigil to remember him Tuesday night.
“Every guest he came across, he created a magic for them that can never be compared to anything in this world,” says a friend in an emotional video. And, in the mourning tradition of the Harry Potter universe, wands were raised to honor him. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it’s a motion used to collectively recognize the great Albus Dumbledore at his funeral. But it’s also become a part of how Harry Potter fans mourn their own: when actor Alan Rickman, who played Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies, passed away in January, wands were raised around the world.
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