A city 700 miles away feels close to home for many East Tennesseans this week.
We met Jewel the Comfort dog from Loudon County who went to Orlando when her owners heard the news of 49 people murdered in a nightclub. Jewel is passing out hugs to people who are hurting.
We've seen people here at home donate blood in honor of the injured, even though Orlando has said they have plenty of donations.
The West Londsdale Baptist Church youth group is using its planned trip to Orlando to pitch in.
"We were crushed because our heart broke for Orlando," said Todd Halliburton, a pastor at West Londsdale Baptist Church in Knoxville, "This is a city that's just been hammered in the last few days."
The youth group arrived in Orlando Saturday. On Sunday, they learned the deadliest shooting in our country's history happened about 15 miles from where they're staying.
"We were sitting the hotel bawling our eyes out, I was crying because I didn't know what else to do. Just sitting there I just felt useless," said Courtney Halliburton, a youth group member.
Church youth members are on a week long trip to volunteer with kids who are terminally ill. But they could not sit by knowing people were hurting so close to them.
"You can just walk around and feel the tragedy. When we went down to the scene we had to be reminded that we get to go home but these people living in the moment," said Courtney Halliburton.
"We contacted my brother-in-law, being in Emergency Medical Services, and said, 'What can we do?' He said, 'You know, it's hot. Go take water to the guys down there working the crime scene."
Each day, they've handed out snacks and water not only to law enforcement but to anyone who needed it.
"We just offer them encouragement and pray if they asked for that. We also just prayed as we made our way around," Todd Halliburton said.
Days later, an alligator killed a little boy on a Disney resort on the same property where the group is staying. They've attended prayer walks and offered comfort to staff there.
"Just to be here at the exact moment that this happened you know you're here for a purpose," said youth group member Jared Massey.
Even though they're far from home, this group feels forever connected to the city of Orlando.