(CNN) Brenda Lee Marquez McCool had already fought the battle of her life -- twice.

The 49-year-old mom of 11 had beaten two bouts of cancer -- breast and bone -- so it was especially devastating for friends and family when they learned she was killed in the Orlando nightclub shooting.

McCool went out dancing Saturday night at Pulse with one of her sons. He survived the shooting.

Another son, Farrell Marshall, said she often did this.

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