Enrique Rios, Brooklyn Social Worker, Among Dead in Orlando Gay Club Massacre

• Pictured: Enrique Rios. Photo via Facebook

BED-STUY, BROOKLYN — Bed-Stuy resident and well-loved local social worker Enrique Rios, 25, has been identified among the 50 people shot dead Sunday at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in a massacre apparently fueled by homophobia, self-hate and allegiance to the Islamic State.

The victim's Facebook profile says he was a student at St. Francis College in Brooklyn and worked at the True Care Home Health Agency in Kensington.

In a statement, St. Francis College said Rios transferred to the school in 2015 "with hopes of completing his degree."

"Sadly, his dreams were cut short by this senseless act of violence," school officials said. "The St. Francis College community mourns the loss of one of our own and offers prayers to his family and friends.”

A spokesman for the school said Rios had taken classes at St. Francis this spring and was majoring in social work.

(A supervisor at True Care confirmed to Patch that Rios had been an employee there, but declined to comment on his passing.)

Rios' siblings and his mother, Gertrude Merced, 47, learned of his horrific murder in Orlando around 11 p.m. Sunday, according to the New York Daily News.

Rios had been visiting Florida to celebrate his friend's birthday, reports said, and last spoke to his mother Friday, according to the paper.

“He just sounded so happy,” Merced said in an interview with the News. “Enrique was a wonderful person. He loved everybody and everybody who knew him loved him.”

Merced, who reportedly works as a janitor in Williamsburg and lives in the public Marcy Houses in Bed-Stuy, told the News she was headed to Florida on Monday to identify her son's body.

"Anyone who knew Enrique knew that Enrique was fun-loving," Merced told DNAinfo outside the bodega at Ellery Street and Marcy Avenue Monday. "He was open, he was helpful. I miss my son."

Rios' mother immediately set up an online fundraising page to raise money to transport her son's body home. 

Merced wrote on the site:

"I come as a humble, hurt, devastated mother. My son's name is Enrique Rios he is one of the victims of the massacare on June 12th 2016. In the night club Pulse having a good time and visiting from NYC on a vacation. We live in Brooklyn NY. Please help me bring my son home he is still in Orlando and I am asking for the public to be so kind and understant the pain a mother is going through. Anything will be appreciated. My family is torn apart and all I would like is to have my son with me so he can the funeral he deserves. My son was a good kid. He was just having  a great time on his vacation, until this deranged man came in and shot the place up killing 49 people and 30 in critical condition. Please help me bring my son home for a proper funeral. Thank you. May god bless you always."

Her goal was to raise $20,000. By early Tuesday morning, total donations had already surpassed $25,000.

Some commenters on the GoFundMe page offered to help in other ways, as well: An employee for JetBlue, for example, offered free flights for the victim's family members. And a funeral director at Cobble Hill Chapels offered to host Rios' service for free.

In response to the outpouring of support, Merced wrote: "There are no words to express what I feel, everyone who donated has done a great deed in caring for my son and have lifted some of this heavy burden. I could never Thank you all enough...Thank you."

On Monday, Facebook tributes stacked up from those who knew Rios.

"Can someone please pinch me!" Cynthia Perez, who identified herself as Rios' grandmother, wrote online. "I feel like I'm in a nightmare. I still can't believe that my grandson Enrique is gone. Please god bless his soul and give peace to all the other victims and their families. I spoke to your great grandma to be there for your on your new journey. You was truly a wonderful person!! I love you."

"This is my cousin Enrique Rios," wrote a Facebook user named Christine Jimenez. "[H]e was murdered yesterday in the Florida massacre. He was a great person with a heart of gold he touched so many lives and now he is gone forever!!!!!!!