PARKLAND, Fla. – Manuel and Patricia Oliver, who lost their 17-year-old son Joaquin “Guac” Oliver, in the Parkland school shooting in 2018 hit the road Monday for Guac’s Magical Tour.
The parents turned activists are celebrating what would have been their son’s 23rd birthday by traveling to 25 cities in an estimated 50 days.
They will be visiting cities that have also been devastated by gun violence, including Uvalde, Texas; Aurora, Colorado; Columbine, Colorado; Louisville, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; and Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
The tour is expected to end on Aug. 20.
“Guac’s Magical Tour- Guacathon 2023 will visit, honor, empower, and remember many of the communities that suffered firsthand the injustice behind gun violence and mass shootings,” a press release stated. “Following the Parkland kickoff, the Olivers will head to Pulse in Orlando. Each tour stop will include events, rallies, and gatherings. In each city, members of the local gun violence activism community will meet at the bus and raise their voices to curb the epidemic of gun violence in the United States.”
The Olivers are completing the trip inside a former school bus, which they’ve converted into a so-called “activism vehicle,” featuring images of their slain son, as well as video boards containing messages about the impact of gun violence.
“This isn’t just a bus – it’s a revolution on wheels!” Manuel Oliver said in a statement. “Beyond anything, it carries the dreams, love, and resolve of a movement dedicated to curbing gun violence, inspired by our dear son Joaquin ‘Guac’ Oliver.”
Before leaving Parkland Monday, Joaquin’s mother left a special plaque at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Memorial Garden, commemorating her son’s life and containing the message, “Never Forget.”
They say their goal is to remind Americans about just how common mass shootings have become in this country as they continue to push lawmakers to enact new gun reform measures.
“I’m not letting people stop talking about Parkland. It won’t happen,” Manuel Oliver said. “And that’s why we’re visiting these cities, because they feel exactly what we feel. They’re not going to tell me, ‘Oh, I can’t even imagine.’ No, they can imagine.”
WATCH: Parkland parents hold press conference to kick off Guac’s Magical Tour: