Man drives 1,200 miles to honor Orlando victims with 49 handmade crosses

Greg Zanis started building crosses for shooting victims that died 20 years ago. Just as he has traveled to other noted shooting sites in the U.S., Zanis brought 49 handmade crosses to Orlando to write positive messages on them. (Twitter/Carey)

An Illinois man traveled more than 1,000 miles from his home in Illinois to Orlando, Florida, in the wake of the death of innocent victims who were slain during the massacre at Pulse nightclub on June 12. 

Greg Zanis, 65, drove to Orlando with 49 handmade crosses -- one for each of the victims that died.

He erected the crosses outside of Orlando Health Medical Center, People reported.

"I'm doing this for their families," Zanis said. "This individualizes it."

He said he wants to prove that love still exists in the world.

"My message today is: Love your bother, love your neighbor. Don't judge them," Zanis told CBS Miami

"Thank you, Greg," Florida Gov. Rick Scott tweeted on Friday.

Zanis, who started building crosses for tragedy victims after his father-in law was murdered 20 years ago, said he also brought crosses to Newtown, Connecticut, after the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"I just want to let people know that Greg Zanis loves them," he told The Tennessean. "It is an act of Christian love. Even though some of these people might not be Christians, I have never been turned back."