President Trump made it a point to honor the late firefighter Corey Comperatore, who died during the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania last summer. During the Inauguration parade, Comperatore’s firefighter uniform was folded and carried through the Capital One Arena by dozens of first responders in uniform.
Reportedly, almost 100 first responders partook in the parade commemorating Comperatore, featuring the Pennsylvania State Police, EMS, local police, county sheriff, and more. The father of three was struck with gunfire while shielding his family after the shooting began while Trump was speaking. Miraculously, Trump survived after a last-second head-turn, in which a bullet grazed his ear.
In October, Trump returned to the site of the assassination attempt where he honored Comperatore in a speech. “To Helen and the entire family, I can only begin to imagine the depths of your grief,” Trump said to Helen Comperatore, the wife of the late firefighter. “I know he’s looking down on us right now from heaven, smiling at his beloved wife.”
Helen Comperatore recently spoke before the Patriot Awards last week, explaining how President Trump spoke to her for weeks after her husband’s death. “When we arrived at the rally on July 13, my husband was so excited. He just absolutely loved Trump. It was all he talked about, you know, and winning. And when we left, we left this family of three,” Helen said to the crowd.
“When he was shot, my two kids both witnessed it. We were all together, and I’ll never forget my oldest daughter’s face, holding his head, wrapped in a towel that somebody threw down to us, and she said, ‘Mom, help me,’” she added. “And I’ll never, ever forget her face. It’s been a long road. For two months, I don’t even think I functioned,” she said.
However, the immense support she has received from supporters has been greatly beneficial, Helen said. “The community has been wonderful… I got cards from the entire United States. I did get hate mail, and the hate mail came because I refused to take Biden’s call the next day,” she added..
Trump released a statement shortly after the shooting in July that read, “I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania.” Addressing Comperatore’s death, he added, “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”
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Watch the ceremony below:
He continued, “It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.