See these 10 moving moments in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting.
The mass shooting that took the lives of 59 people and injured hundreds more on Sunday in Las Vegas has left Americans and the rest of the world with feelings of despair.
But out of the grief, loss, and pain, there have also been moments that have inspired, comforted, and encouraged. From citizens helping one another out to stars lending their talents to start the healing process, here are some moving moments that have happened in wake of the tragedy:
1. Jason Aldean Unites
The country singer was on the stage when the gunman started firing. He was quickly rushed to safety and shortly after released a statement to his fans, lending his support. Later on Monday, Aldean posted another, lengthier message encouraging unity in a difficult time.
“At the end of the day we arent Democrats or Republicans, Whites or Blacks, Men or Women. We are all humans and we are all Americans and it’s time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE!” he wrote. “That is the only way we will ever get this Country to be better than it has ever been, but we have a long way to go and we have to start now.”
2. Katy Perry Spreads Love
While performing at her Madison Square Garden concert in NYC on Monday night, Perry challenged her audience to share the love.
“Turn to your right or your left and if you don’t know the person next to you, just introduce yourself and say, ‘Hello,’ maybe shake their hand. And if you have the guts, just say, ‘I love you!’” she declared. “No one’s going to steal our joy. No one’s wilt our flowers or clip our wings! No one’s going to take our art from us.”
3. Ellen DeGeneres Stays Hopeful
The always upbeat comedian and TV host spoke in tears about the events, saying, “I don’t know about you, but I feel sad, I feel anxious, I feel helpless. And it’s very easy to lose hope, but we cannot do that. I always say there’s a lot more good in the world than there is bad and I continue to believe that.”
DeGeneres also noted that tough times like this inspire her to keep doing her job.
“I see it everywhere, you look in Las Vegas, and people were helping each other, people were lined up at 4:30 in the morning just to donate blood,” she said. “It is hard to do a show on a day like this. When I wake up, I think, ‘How am I going to do a show?’ But it’s also days like this that I appreciate my job more than ever because I get to focus and shine a light on people who do good in the world.” She then shared a montage of clips of everyday people whom she’s featured on the show.
4. Keith Urban Honors His ‘Family’
The country singer performed at a vigil in Nashville, telling the crowd about a moment he shared with his daughter while driving her to school. He noted that his daughter was confused about why he was sad over the deaths of people he didn’t know.
“They’re like family. It’s the one thing about country music that’s always been at the center of it. It is a community. I do know those people in that way,” Urban concluded.
He then performed a moving cover of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
5. Kaley Cuoco Shares Her Talents
Sometimes all you need is a friendly escape. The Big Bang Theory star took to Instagram to let fans know they had a safe place to get away from the painful news.
“If you need a laugh tonight, tune into a new @bigbangtheory_cbs… kinda think we could all use some light heartedness. It’s times like these, I am so grateful I make people giggle for a living,” she wrote.
6. Paul McCartney Gives Peace a Chance
In the final show of his One On One Tour in Detroit on Monday night, McCartney told the crowd, “On such a terrible day, we’re going to celebrate the joy in life.”
Later in the show he performed a touching rendition of John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” as the crowd held up peace signs and sang along.
7. The Route 91 Festival Refuses to Back Down
In a statement released on Sunday, the festival lent their support to the victims and their families, sharing a powerful message of resilience in the process.
“While we will try and move forward, we will never forget this day,” the statement read. “We will NOT let hate win over LOVE. We will NOT be defeated by senseless violence. We WILL perservere, and honor the souls that were lost. Because it matters.”
8. People Step Up
The line for a local Las Vegas blood bank stretched so far that the person filming had to speed up the footage. People came out in droves to donate blood and help in any way they could the morning after the tragedy.
9. Garth Brooks Wants the Show to Go On
Posting a touching video message to his fans on Facebook, Brooks also made a rousing call to his fellow artists.
“I can’t imagine the artists that have gigs tonight, and I know you’re probably wondering what to do,” he said. “Here’s my advice – the show must go on. When things go bad, doctors go to work, when things go back, police go to work. When things go bad, musicians go to work…. Things are going bad. They need music, they need the power of that healing. So if you’ve got a gig tonight, you’ve got all my strength and all my love, but the show must go on, because those people in those seats, they come to get away from it all. They come to be happy to be joyous, to sing and love one another.”
10. Miley Cyrus Makes a Meaningful Song Change
After opening The Tonight Show with Adam Sandler singing Dido’s “No Freedom,” Cyrus closed out the show with her hit, “The Climb,” which she hasn’t performed live in years.
The bold ballad not only showcased Cyrus’ powerhouse vocals, but also struck a very personal chord after Sunday’s events.
“I think this is probably for the first time in five or six years, I’m going to do the song, ‘The Climb,’” Cyrus said before the performance. “The moments we’re going to remember most aren’t being pulled apart by evil, but coming together through love and all of us uniting.”
For more in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting, watch the clip below.