Former Eatonville officer, Pulse first responder with PTSD granted disability pension

EATONVILLE, Fla. — A former Eatonville police officer who gained national attention for his heroism during the Pulse nightclub massacre was granted a disability pension during a hearing Thursday afternoon.

Omar Delgado, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, was let go from his job as an officer.

Delgado said the ringing of a cellphone can trigger his PTSD, because it reminds him of the cellphones that continued to ring after victims of the nightclub attack were killed.

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"Clearly, my client suffers from a disability caused in the-line-of-duty for the police department," Delgado's attorney said during Thursday's hearing.

Delgado first sought a disability pension after he was let go from the agency that employed him for almost 10 years.

"Something that's easier to understand is somebody breaks their leg. You can see them. They're in (a) cast," Delgado said. "Six to eight weeks, they're out of it. They're good to go."

But Delgado's doctors said he continues to suffer long after the massacre.

Members of the disability pension board had already decided more than a year ago that he was disabled, but board members were unsure if he was permanently disabled.

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On Thursday, board members reviewed new medical records from the past year and unanimously voted to grant Delgado the disability pension.

"Orlando did come together and they did show love -- not just to the LGBT community, but to me as well," he said. "I was there just doing my job. And unfortunately, what happened was something that I wished never happened."

Delgago said he is pleased with the outcome, but he doesn't like that he will never again be a police officer.

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