Parents Of Orlando Victim: 'Change Has To Come' Or 'It's Going To Be A Lawless Country'

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The parents of Orlando shooting victim Jerry Wright told CBS4's Carey Codd they planned to go to church Tuesday to honor their son's life since today marks one month since his death. Instead, they chose to go to Washington D.C. and add their voices to the call for greater gun control.

"After his death, we've heard so many people we didn't even know tell us how wonderful our kid was. The kind of person we need more of in this world," Jerry's mother, Maria Wright, said.

His parents, Maria and Fred, said Jerry overcame dyslexia and physical pain to achieve his goals – graduating from Florida International University and taking a job at Disney World.

But he and 48 other people had their dreams and goals cut short inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando last month. 

His parents traveled to Washington this week to demand more gun control.

"We can't just not say anything. This is not normal. This is not right," Maria said.

They spent the day meeting with legislators and asking for change.

"The change has to come, because if not, it's going to be a lawless country where we're not safe to walk down the streets," Fred said.

The Wrights are suffering. They lost a son who brightened their days and made them proud.

"He was a gentleman. He was the kindest man you could ever meet. He could take the shirt off his back and then give it to you and then compliment you on how good it looked on you," Fred said.

The Wrights know there have been mass shootings before and there will likely continue to be others. They don't want their son to have died in vain.

"I thought of how many other times we've had these horrible times when many people were killed and our government hasn't done anything to stop it," Maria said.

Specifically, the Wrights said they would like to see background checks for all gun purchases and for people on government watch lists to be prohibited from buying guns.

They said they plan to continue pushing for change so other families do not have to suffer as they have.