Luis Velma was a victim in the Pulse shooting this weekend

ORLANDO — An attraction operator at Universal Orlando, Luis Vielma always went above and beyond for the park’s guests — and his friends.

“He was always a friend you could call,” said Josh Boesch, who worked with Vielma at Universal. “He was always open and available.”

Vielma, 22, posted on social media about going to Pulse the night he died, Boesch said.

Vielma’s family couldn’t be reached for comment Sunday, but dozens of friends mourned his death on social media. The last publicly posted photo on his Facebook profile shows a group of young people posing in front of Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom with the caption “True friends who become family.”

Vielma held several roles at Universal, said Boesch, including running the former Disaster! attraction and, most recently, the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride.

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, posted a message on Twitter about Vielma’s death early Monday.

“Luis Vielma worked on the Harry Potter ride at Universal,” Rowling wrote. “He was 22 years old. I can’t stop crying. #Orlando”

Bill Davis, president and chief operating officer of Universal Orlando, said in a statement via social media that “we are deeply saddened over the loss of our Team Member. We are working to support his friends and colleagues here at Universal Orlando. Our thoughts and prayers are with Luis, his family, and all the victims of this tragedy.”

Olga Glomba, who also said she worked with Vielma at Universal, wrote in an email that he was “always there, without fail.”

“He was a true friend,” Glomba wrote. “A funny, sweet, nerdy guy without a mean side. He just wanted to make people smile.”

A photo of Vielma in his Universal uniform identifies him as a Spanish speaker from Acapulco, Mexico. Beyond Universal, Vielma also talked about his plans to become an EMT, Boesch said.

“He was always caring and he always wanted to learn more,” Boesch said.

Vielma was an Emergency Medical Services student at Seminole State College, according to a statement from the school released Monday. He was taking a CPR class this summer and enrolled in classes for the fall semester.

“We offer our condolences to the families and friends of all those who were killed and injured,” according to the college’s statement. “These events have shocked and saddened the Central Florida community.”

He also played in the Deltona Adult Soccer League, according to the group’s Facebook page. The group is collecting donations for Vielma’s family.

Source: Orlando Sentinel