Heroes of Pulse Nightclub Shooting Use Recognition As Platform for Change

NEW YORK CITY —This year the American Red Cross awarded their National Hero Award to three courageous employees of Orlando’s “Pulse” night club. Neema Bahrami, “Pulse” entertainment manager; Brian Reagan, general manager; and Neal Whittleton, security guard, were awarded for their courage in providing assistance to night club patrons both during and after the club’s June 12th mass shooting. Before their annual Heroes Among Us Gala at the American Museum of Natural History, the American Red Cross welcomed National Hero Award recipients to a press conference and discussion panel in their New York headquarters on Wednesday morning.

Josh Lockwood, CEO of the American Red Cross of New York (ARCNY), interviewed the three men, who were all working at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub on the night of June 12th when the gay bar became the backdrop to the deadliest mass shooting in American history. While sharing their experiences as both victims and heroes within the course of the tragedy, Bahrami, Reagan, and Whittleton made clear their greatest desire is neither sympathy nor recognition; the men want change.

As emergency volunteers, one of the major calls to change concerned the methods of American disaster relief programs. The American Red Cross, according to ACRNY Communications Officer Michael de Vulpillieres, is only responsible for arriving to major tragedies after first responders, specifically to handle “mostly emotional needs” through their Family Assistance Center. However, Lockwood still took the panel as an opportunity to open the floor to a dialogue of possible reform in emergency care.

Pulse entertainment manager Neema Bahrami applauded first responders and local hospitals for their bravery and choice to not charge victims with medical bills “because they cared.” However, he explained that he wishes there had been more efforts from medical officials to guide victims with any sort of post-trauma protocol.

Bahrami reflected upon his brief medical assistance, during which he was brought into an ambulance, given a blanket, and checked for any life threatening injuries. After the “ten-minute” report on Bahrami’s identity and vitals, Bahrami said that he was told by first responders that he was “‘good to go.’” “Where am I going?” Bahrami asked rhetorically.

Without a charged phone or any information regarding victims’ identities, Bahrami felt helpless in his mission to reach out to victims. “We had 49 names [of fallen victims] and that’s all we had.” Despite a lack of contact information, Bahrami announced publicly that his house was open to any and all recovering “Pulse” patrons and employees as a safe space. Pulse general manager, Brian Reagan, added, “Our friends were hurt, scared, confused.”

The heroes explained this confusion was a constant obstacle throughout the process of the tragedy. Bahrami laid out the major factors that served as obstacles for understanding, and, thus, proper response, between officials, victims, and victims’ families: the shocking nature of a shooting itself; the fact that many of the victims’ sexualities were closeted to their family and friends; as well as the language barrier between officials and many Latino Orlando residents.

Reagan added to Bahrami’s comments, explaining that many victims’ families were both unaware of his/her homosexuality and were also living outside of the country at the time of the shooting. “It opened up some wounds for a lot of families,” says Reagan.

However, while the heroes expressed their desire for deeper understanding from first responders immediately after the tragedy, the three expressed a great sense of optimism — and determination — about the possibility of greater understanding in the future.

“It’s been an overwhelming amount of love,” said Bahrami. He reflected upon the Orlando community’s gathering of 50,000 around Lake Eola on June 19th in commemoration of victims, remarking that the “night started a pattern of seeing rainbows … especially over Pulse.”

Staying true to their founding “Pulse” namesake — an homage to the eternal heartbeat of owner Barbara Poma’s late brother John who died of HIV in 1991 — Pulse has founded the OnePulse Foundation since the incident. The organization “will contribute 90% of [its] funds raised to the National Compassion Fund, with the remainder contributing to the creation of a permanent memorial at the existing site of Pulse Nightclub.” Lockwood urges Americans to donate to both the American Red Cross and such condoned charities.

Though a specifically difficult tragedy to deal with in regards to its myriad of complex obstacles, the Orlando shooting brought about a clear concern among American Red Cross volunteers present at the meeting.

The Family Assistance Center, all employees agreed, was extremely helpful in tending to emotional damages caused by the tragedy. However, Lockwood assured that the Family Assistance Center will work to be even more “empathetic and culturally appropriate” in future situations.

“Once you’ve seen one emergency,” says ACRNY first responder of three years Gretchen Anthony, “you’ve seen one emergency.” With the variety and ever-growing list of factors that can cause an emergency to quickly turn into a tragedy, Anthony shares that one of the only things volunteers can do to prepare besides proper training is “[staying] up and educated” about current disasters.

ARCNY’s de Vulpillieres remarks that it was “very humbling” to honor people that so truly “embody the spirit of the Red Cross.” Representing the 49 fallen victims, Reagan says, along with the 53 injured and countless bystanders of the Pulse shooting, is “something that we never wanted to do, but are proud to do.”

Bravely keeping the heartbeat of the Orlando gay community alive, Pulse was set to host the official after-party of Orlando’s pride celebration last Saturday, Oct. 8.

*Photos personally permitted for usage by ACR Chief External Affairs Officer Desiree Ramos Reiner.