Ellen DeGeneres calls for love over hate in emotional Las Vegas tribute
Ellen DeGeneres has paid a heartfelt tribute to victims of the Las Vegas attack.
59 people have been killed and more than 515 injured, making it the worst gun violence incident in US history.
The number of fatalities is even greater than the shooting at LGBT nightclub Pulse, Orlando, which killed 49.
In a pre-recorded segment for her show, airing Tuesday, Ellen sent her “love, and prayers, and hope” to those affected, and called for people to think of those who do good in the world in the face of those who do evil.
“I am very happy you are here today,” she told a silent audience.
“I am hoping we can fill this room with love, and prayers, and hope. That’s what I want right now.
“This show is airing on Tuesday, but we are taping on Monday and we all woke up this morning to the news of the horrific shooting in Las Vegas.
“My heart is broken for everyone affected by what happened there.
“I mean, we were just in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and when you think of Las Vegas, it’s a place to escape and have fun and you never imagine anything like this could ever happen.”
Reflecting on other recent atrocities in America, including Hurricanes Irma and Maria, she continues: “There’s so much going on in the world right now. People are recovering from hurricanes, the devastation in Puerto Rico and on top of all that, something like this happens.
“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. We cannot do that.
“I always say that there’s a lot more good in the world than there is bad and I continue to believe that.
“And that is what we have to focus on. I see it everywhere. You look in Las Vegas and people were helping each other.
“People lined up at 4:30 in the morning just to donate blood.”
However the out host, who is married to Australian actress Portia de Rossi, says it’s more important than ever to remember those who still do good.
“It is hard to do a show on a day like this. When I woke up today, 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 the people that do good in the world.”
