The 53rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday. The city was also home to the deadliest mass shooting in United States history back in October, and stars from across the country music world will be honoring the victims of the Route 91 Harvest music festival with commemorative pins.
The three gold pins will have three different numbers on them — 851, 57 and one — with each referencing some aspect of the shooting. The first number stands for how many people were injured during the shooting, the second is for how many casualties there were and the third stands for unity.
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According to The Boot, it’s unknown who started the idea.
Tonight on the #ACMawards, you’ll see artists wearing these numbers on gold pins.
851 injured. 58 gone. Chance to spark educational conversation to save even 1 life.
Every single night, in every single town. 💛 #fansfirst pic.twitter.com/uoKos3yOG9
— Megan Newton (@_megannewton) April 15, 2018
“Tonight on the #ACMawards, you’ll see artists wearing these numbers on gold pins,” Publicist Megan Newton wrote when tweeting out a card explaining the significance of the pin. “851 injured. 58 gone. Chance to spark educational conversation to save even 1 life. Every single night, in every single town.”
Several country stars have already posted themselves with the pins prior to arriving at the award show’s red carpet.
Tonight I’m gonna wear these pins for the 851 injured, the 58 lost and the 1 life we can save in the future if we’re willing to start a conversation about things that need to be done for our children, our families and our fans.
#851581 #vegasstrong #fansfirst pic.twitter.com/Gc6GOyUxXM
— Karen Fairchild (@KarenFairchild) April 15, 2018
Proud to wear this #851 tonight. #VegasStrong #fanfirst pic.twitter.com/4azAnwIitX
— Colden Swindell (@ReasonToDrink4) April 15, 2018
“Tonight I’m gonna wear these pins for the 851 injured, the 58 lost and the 1 life we can save in the future if we’re willing to start a conversation about things that need to be done for our children, our families and our fans,” Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild wrote on Twitter.
“Proud to wear this #851 tonight,” Colden Swindell wrote.
“My heart weeps as I look down and am reminded of all of the 58 lives that were lost, the 851 that were injured, 22,000 people that endured a night of terror right here, and all of the families that are affected by this tragedy,” wrote Hayley Hubbard, wife of Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard. “We wear these pins tonight at @acmawards to tell the world we have not forgotten you. We have not forgotten your names.”
The 2018 ACM Awards Show starts at 8 p.m. EST with Reba McEntire as the host.
Photo Credit: Twitter / @ReasonToDrink4
