Trump shooting victim Corey Comperatore's casket escorted by firefighters preparing for hero's wake
A procession of firetrucks draped in black accompanied the casket of Trump rally shooting victim Corey Comperatore to a vigil in Freeport, Pennsylvania, on Thursday.
Firefighters and a procession of law enforcement vehicles accompanied the casket of Corey Comperatore, the Trump supporter killed at the former president's Pennsylvania rally, ahead of the slain firefighter's wake on Thursday.
Comperatore, a 50-year-old Sarver resident and volunteer firefighter, died on Saturday shielding his family from gunfire meant for the former president at his rally in Butler.
Uniformed military personnel were seen securing a perimeter around Laube Hall in Freeport on Thursday morning, checking the roof and surroundings of the building ahead of a vigil for Comperatore.
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On Wednesday, hundreds gathered to remember the former fire chief and were urged to find "unity" as the rural area in Pennsylvania recovers from the jarring assassination attempt, ABC 7 reported.
Thursday's public viewing, scheduled to take place between 2 and 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m., caused road closures for the large preceding firetruck procession.
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Comperatore attended high school in Freeport before serving in the Army Reserves for a decade, according to his obituary. He was an active member of Cabot Church and was a lifelong member of the Buffalo Volunteer Fire Department, which he headed as chief in the early 2000s.
He is survived by his two daughters, Kaylee and Allyson; his wife, Helen; and his mother and two sisters. His 29th wedding anniversary was on the horizon, Helen Comperatore told the New York Post.
"He’s my hero," Helen Comperatore told the newspaper from her home. "He just said, ‘Get down!’ That was the last thing he said."
"He was a simple man, but he put his wife and kids first all the time. I did nothing here. I didn’t lift a finger. He did everything," she told the Post in the wake of the shooting, which injured Trump and critically injured two other rallygoers.
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"His courage was not the loud and boisterous kind; it was the courage of quiet resilience, the strength to be vulnerable, and the bravery to lead with love," his obituary reads. "Corey's legacy is not just in the major milestones he achieved but in the small acts of kindness that marked his everyday life. He was quick to help those in need, never expecting anything in return, and his impact on the lives he touched was profound."
In a statement to the media on Thursday, the Comperatore family called Corey their "beloved father and husband" and "a friend to so many throughout the Butler region."
"He was a local leader and veteran, a former fire chief, and a committed Christian who found peace and joy through our church. He loved and cared for us, his family," the statement reads.
"Our family is finding comfort and peace through the heartfelt messages of encouragement from people around the world, through the support of our church and community, and most of all through the strength of God. We thank the countless people who have prayed for us throughout the past week. We deeply appreciate your kindness," the statement continues. "We ask for your continued prayers and privacy as we mourn and adjust to the realities of Corey’s unthinkable passing."
President Biden said Sunday that he and first lady Jill Biden "extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victim who was killed.
"He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired, and he lost his life. God love him," Biden said.
A funeral procession is planned for Friday.
Fox News' Michael Dorgan and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.