LOS ANGELES, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Katy Perry and Ellen DeGeneres delivered an emotional surprise to Pulse shooting survivor Tony Marrero on Thursday's episode of Ellen.
Marrero was shot five times while dancing at Pulse with his best friend Luis Vielma on June 12. Vielma was one of the 49 who did not survive.
Marrero told DeGeneres that while he was recovering, he drew from Katy Perry' anthem, "Rise," for strength.
"They lyrics to that song are so powerful," Marrero said. "Every word in that song is just powerful. So I embraced it."
DeGeneres surprised Marrero by yelling for the singer who appeared from backstage. Marrero and Perry shared an emotional embrace while DeGeneres -- and presumably everyone else in the audience -- looked on with tears.
"I just want to say thank you for everything you do," a tearful Marrero told Perry. "Your lyrics in that song helped me from when I was in the hospital all the way to now."
"I heard that you're creative -- just like me -- and that you have dreams and you want to go out there and do good and fulfill them," Perry told Marrero. "I heard that you want to go to film school so I personally want to pay for your first year at film school."
