Orange County Fire Rescue (OCFR) Fire Chief Otto Drozd said his department seeks to hire people who serve the community with compassion and that is what led the department to honor one of the victims killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.
OCFR named Cory Connell an honorary firefighter at his funeral on Saturday. A scholarship was also announced in his memory.
Connell was killed after pushing his girlfriend, Paula Blanco, out of the way of the gunman during the shooting. She was hospitalized with a gunshot wound.
Connell, 21, had recently graduated Valencia College and was set to begin training at the Central Florida Fire Academy, which is a precursor to obtaining state fire certifications in the Orlando region. His ultimate goal, family members said, was to enter the fire service.