Katy Perry breaks down as she meets Pulse survivor, makes him a life-changing offer

Every survivor of the Pulse nightclub

mass-murder has a story of bravery to tell. When Ellen DeGeneres invited Tony Marrero onto her show to share his, he was given the surprise of a lifetime when he was introduced to his hero, Katy Perry.

Tony was shot in the back four times during the attack in June. Unfortunately his friend, Luis Vielma, did not survive the attack.

In an emotional VT, Tony recounted the night: “It was horrible. People screaming , crying. People saying their combines. He [Omar Mateen] shot me four times in the back.”

The video shows Tony being welcomed back to Harry Potter studios in Orlando, where he and Luis worked together. In the emotional scenes, his colleagues erupt into cheers as Tony explains: “This is my family.”

He adds: “I know that we lost one, but he [Luis] will always be with us.”

Back in the studio Tony opened up about how Katy Perry’s Rise helped him through his recovery. Little did he know that Ellen had planned for Katy to surprise him live in the studio.

https://twitter.com/musicnews_facts/status/773877355701997568

The pair share a tearful embrace, as Katy reveals how she “folded a napkin in my hand, like a little granny, I had it up my sleeve” to prepare for the introduction, while Tony explains: “The lyrics to [Rise] helped me from the day that I was in the hospital, all the way to now.”

https://twitter.com/OnePulseTony/status/773756627870711808

But the surprises didn’t end there. Moved by Tony’s story, Katy Perry makes a life-changing offer: to pay for Tony’s college tuition for his first year of film school.

https://twitter.com/musicnews_facts/status/773880015587082240

Watch the full clip of Tony and Katy’s ecnounter below:

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