Samantha Fuentes inspired the entire country when she delivered a touching tribute to her friend at March For Our Lives on Saturday, carrying on even after she had to vomit in the middle of her speech.
And it seems Fuentes now has one very famous fan from overseas.
‘She got shot, she watched her friends die, she stood up in front of millions, threw up out of nerves, laughed about it then finished her speech,’ tweeted JK Rowling. ‘#SamFuentes, there are no words.’
The 18-year-old tweeted back excitedly to the beloved author, writing. “@jk_rowling is this real? Oh my god I love you, thank you for believing me.’
Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted her support for Samantha Fuentes, a Parkland survivor who threw up on stage at the March For Our Lives in Washington DC while delivering a tribute to her slain friend
The 18-year-old tweeted back excitedly to the beloved author, writing. “@jk_rowling is this real? Oh my god I love you, thank you for believing me’
Fuentes (left) led a crowd of people at the March For Our Lives event in DC in an emotional sing-along of ‘Happy Birthday’ in honor of Nicholas Dworet (right), who was killed in the Parkland school shooting. He would have turned 18 on Saturday
Samantha Fuentes (right) was one of several Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students who gave speeches at the rally
800,000 teens and adults turned out for the March For Our Lives event in Washington, DC
The rally was to plead for stricter gun laws after 17 people were killed on February 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
While JK Rowling was lending her support to protesters via Twitter, many were crediting the Harry Potter author for her books’ influence on the movement
Many of her fans tweeted signs from the protest to the author to show how much Harry Potter had inspired a generation
One of the signs showed how the March For Our Lives teen protesters resembled Dumbledore’s Army
Fuentes was paying tribute to Nicholas Dworet at the March For Our Lives event in Washington DC on Saturday.
Dworet was one of 17 people killed on February 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida school.
Fuentes, who was shot in both legs and hit with shrapnel in her face, gave a heart-wrenching speech at the rally pleading for stricter gun laws.
In the middle of her addressing the crowd Fuentes ducked behind the podium to vomit but quickly gathered herself together.
‘I just threw up on international television, and it feels great!’ she said.
Before walking off the stage Fuentes asked the crowd of 800,00 people to help her sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in honor of her friend, ABC News reports.
‘I have one more request. Today is March 24, March for Our Lives. But it also the birthday of Nick Dworet. Someone that was senselessly murdered in front of me,’ she said.
As the large crowd sang, some teens held each other and cried. Fuentes got emotional but continued to sing.
While JK Rowling was lending her support to protesters via Twitter, many were crediting the Harry Potter author for her books’ influence on the movement.
A girl cries as Marjory Stoneman student Samantha Fuentes leads the group in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her friend who was killed in the February 14 attack
Hundreds of thousands of people filled Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC on Saturday for the March For Our Lives against gun violence
Fuentes was shot in both legs during the February 14 attack at her high school and was hit in the face by shrapnel
Fuentes was one of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida injured in the February shooting
The teen spent a week in the hospital before she was released. Fuentes is pictured above with family members
A number of supporters carried signs referencing Harry Potter and its characters, with one reading: ‘You think kids raised on Harry Potter and Hunger Games are going to give up? Silly adults.’
Another read: ‘We grew up on Harry Potter/Marvel/Star Wars/The Hunger Games, of course we’re fighting back.’
In a reference to Dumbledore’s Army, one protester wrote: ‘Remember when a child was killed and the government refused to acknowledge the threat to children’s lives, so a group of brave teenagers had to stand up and learn to defend themselves? We called that fantasy. It should have remained fiction.’
Hundreds of thousands of people turned out for the March For Our Lives events on Saturday.
The main event was held in DC, but another 800 events took place around the world in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Chicago, Houston, Denver, Pittsburgh, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Nashville and other areas.
Globally, events were held in Paris, London, Berlin, Sydney, Mumbai, Tokyo.
Fuentes was just one of many Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students who gave speeches.
The teens were joined by a raft of stars including George and Amal Clooney, who donated $500,000 to the event, Jimmy Fallon, Steven Spielberg, Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus.
Singers including Andra Day and Jennifer Hudson were among those who performed in front of the crowds.
A satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe showed the massive crowd at the March For Our Lives rally in Washington, DC on Saturday.
Parkland survivor David Hogg, 17, was among the 20 young speakers at the Washington DC event. At the end of his impassioned speech, he took a presidential tone and said: ‘Thank you, I love you all. God bless you and God bless the United States of America’
Emma Gonzalez, one of the most vocal of the event organizers, went silent on stage until she had been there for 6 minutes and 20 seconds, the amount of time it took gunman Nikolas Cruz to murder 17 people at Stoneman Douglas on February 14
The DC march began on Pennsylvania Avenue at noon on Saturday. It has been organized by the teenage survivors of the Parkland shooting on February 14
Hours before the event began, the streets in DC were filled and students the crowds looked towards the Capitol where a stafe was set up
This satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows the March For Our Lives rally in Washington, DC on Saturday
Digital Globe called the nationwide demonstratins calling for gun control, collectively, one of the biggest youth protests since the Vietnam era
Youngsters lead the march in Washington DC on Saturday at the March for Our Lives protest
Young protesters in Washington DC carried signs demanding the outlawing of assault rifles like the AR-15 used by Nikolas Cruz to commit mass murder on February 14
The March For Our Lives in Washington DC on Saturday concluded with a performance from Jennifer Hudson who, afterwards, was joined on the stage by the 20 young speakers from the event. They included Parkland school shooting survivors
Hudson is a victim of gun violence too. Her mother, brother and nephew were all murdered in 2008. They were shot to death. She is pictured hugging Stoneman Douglas student Emma Gonzalez as 11-year-old Naomi Wadler, one of the event speakers, looks out towards the crowd
Digital Globe called the nationwide demonstrations calling for gun control, collectively, one of the biggest youth protests since the Vietnam era.
David Hogg, one of the Stoneman Douglas survivors who has been at the forefront of the issue ever since, spoke confidently about the event on Saturday morning in an early interview with GMA.
‘Today we are going to start a revolution.
‘This is the beginning of a lifelong marathon not only for me but for my generation.
‘We are sick and tired of the inaction here in Washington and around the country at different state capitals and different cities, of politicians that are owned by the NRA and not listening to the constituents of America.
‘We are the children. We are making our voices heard and we will change America with or without these politicians and today is the beginning of that revolution,’ he declared.
Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West attended the event with their daughter North. They are pictured backstage
Kim Kardashian West posed for a selfie with a young attended at the march in Washington
George and Amal Clooney beamed at the Washington DC March For Our Lives protest. The activist couple donated $500,000
George and Amal Clooney are pictured at the Washington DC March For Our Lives protest on Saturday. They donated $500,000 to the event
Paul McCartney wears a t-shirt reading ‘We Can End Gun Violence’ during the March For Our Lives protest in New York City
Actress Olivia Wilde (left) and Connie Britton (right) gave speeches at the protest held in Los Angeles
Demi Lovato also sang at the Washington DC march on Saturday as part of the March For Our Lives protest
Actress Alyssa Milano was seen with her children at the anti-gun March For Our Lives rally in downtown LA
Senator Elizabeth Warren joins students gathered at Madison Park High School before the March for Our Lives in Boston
Later, in his own speech, he spoke of the ‘cold shackles of corruption’ which is gripping the NRA and slammed the government for not doing more.
‘If you listen real close you can hear the people in power shaking.
‘They’ve gotten used to being protective of their position, through the safety of inaction. Inaction is no longer safe. To that, we say, no more!’
Hogg spoke of making gun violence a ‘voting issue’ which will lead the primary elections.
‘We are going to take this to every election to every state and every city.
‘We are going to make sure the best people get in to run, not as politicians but as Americans,’ he fumed.
Pointing to the Capitol, he added: ‘This… is not cutting it. At the end of the speech, he told the crowd: ‘I love you all. God bless you and God bless the United States of America’.
The final speech was the most compelling.
It was delivered by Emma Gonzalez, who was in Stoneman Douglas on February 14 when gunman Nikolas Cruz stormed the building with an AR-15.
During the middle of her speech, Emma went silent for several minutes until she had been on stage for a total of 6 minutes and 20 seconds – the exact amount of time it took Cruz to murder 17 people and injure 15 more.
‘Six minutes and 20 seconds… In a little over six minutes, 17 of our friends were taken, 15 were injured and everyone, absolutely everyone, in the Douglas community was forever altered,’ she said.
This was the scene on Pennsylvania Avenue at around 9am on Saturday morning as more and more protesters arrived with signs
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Emma Gonzalez (left) attend March For Our Live s rally in DC. Miranda was also spotted with Ben Platt
Singer Andra Day kicked off the performances in Washington DC rally with a children’s choir from Baltimore who sang her hit Rise Up with her
Steven Spielberg with his wife Kate Capshaw (left) and George Clooney is seen with Dennis Rodman (right)
Glenn Close and Cher hug backstage at the Washington DC March For Our Lives on Saturday afternoon
Jimmy Fallon is also at the event in Washington DC. He also posed with Rodman backstage
Actress Marisa Tomei participates in March For Our Lives Los Angeles while wearing a Time’s Up shirt
Martin Luther King III and Yolanda Renee King attend the March For Our Lives protest in Washington DC
PICTURED: Fourteen students, geography teacher, coach and athletic director shot dead in Florida high school massacre
Jaime Guttenberg, 14, (left) was described by relatives as a ‘kind-hearted, sweet’ girl. She attended the school with her younger brother who survived and rushed home afterwards. Senior Nicholas Dworet (right) was a gifted swimmer who had his sights set on 2020 Tokyo Olympics success. His devastated college student girlfriend is among those grieving his death. Friends said he was not just a talented athlete, but a ‘good guy’ who will be missed
Martin Duque, 14, (left) was missing for hours on Wednesday and his frantic family desperately appealed for him to get in touch on social media. On Thursday, his older brother Miguel confirmed his death. Martin was a freshman. Meadow Pollack, 18, (right) was preparing for college. Her father was at the school on Wednesday and showed her photograph around in the hope that she would be found alive
Cara Loughran (left) was missing on Wednesday afternoon. Her mother Denise and her father rushed to the designated hotel where parents were told to go to be reunited with their children in the hope that she would be found alive. Her grieving neighbor confirmed her death on Thursday. Alyssa Alhadeff, 15, (right) was eulogized by her mother who said she was a talented soccer player and creative mind. ‘All she had to offer the world was love… I just sent her to school and she was shot and killed,’ she said
Luke Hoyer, 15, (left) was described as a ‘precious’ child by his grandparents who confirmed his death. They found out about the shooting on television. They said he was a ‘good kid’ who ‘never got in trouble’. Joaquin Oliver, 17, (right) was also killed. Joaquin was a Venezuelan immigrant who came to the US with his family for a ‘better future’, they said on Thursday
Gina Montalto, 15, (left) was described as a ‘light and joy’. She and Jaime, another victim, volunteered at a local project called The Friendship Initiative where they acted as buddies for children with special needs. Gina’s mother Jennifer shared pleas to find her on social media on Wednesday. Alaina Petty, 14, (right) was also killed. Her Mormon church confirmed her death, saying she was a ‘valiant’ member
Carmen Schentrup, 16, (left) was also killed in the shooting. Carmen was a gifted student who last year was named as a semifinalist in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. It includes students who score above average in their SATs or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. ROTC student Peter Wang, 15, (right) also died. His parents speak little English and relied on their neighbor to post social media appeals looking for him. They went to the Marriott hotel with other parents to wait for news of him on Wednesday night and have since confirmed that he was among those killed
Alex Schachter, 14, (left) was also killed. His mother died when he was a child and he attended the school in Florida with his brother, who survived. The teenager’s father Max said he was a ‘sweetheart of a child’ who ‘just wanted to do well and please his parents’. Helena Ramsey, 17, (right) was described by relatives as a ‘reserved’ and studious girl who was due to go to college next year
Geography Scott Beigel, 35, (left) was shot dead as he tried to lock the door of his classroom again after letting a group of fleeing students in to hide. They were running away from the gunman. Aaron Feis, 37, (right) died acting as a human shield. The track coach had thrown himself on top of the kids to stop the bullets from hitting him. He was a former student and was also a security guard at the school where he had worked for eight years
Athletic director Chris Hixon, 49, was also killed shielding students