FREEPORT, Pa.—A steady stream of mourners from around the country gathered in Freeport on July 18 to honor the life of Corey Comperatore, the 50-year-old retired fire chief who was killed last Saturday when a gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
A husband and father of two daughters, Mr. Comperatore took his family to former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, about a half-hour from his home in rural western Pennsylvania.
From bleacher seats behind the podium, he watched former President Trump speak. When gunfire erupted, Mr. Comperatore threw himself on top of his family to shield them.
President Trump’s ear was grazed by the shooting. Mr. Comperatore lost his life. Two other Pennsylvania men shot at the rally—David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74—were upgraded from critical to serious condition on July 18, according to Allegheny Health Network.
The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as the gunman. He was killed by Secret Service snipers.
Outside of Laube Hall at Freeport Community Park, Mr. Comperatore’s mourners expressed sadness and told The Epoch Times that the engineer who graduated from Freeport High School was a hero.
Mr. Comperatore was a 10-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves and served as chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company before stepping away to spend more time with his family. He was a life member of the department and his fire gear is displayed at the firehouse.
On July 18, fire trucks from multiple departments around the region were seen outside of Laube Hall.
Brothers in Uniform
James Kuhn is a retired fire chief in Pulaski Township, about 40 miles from Buffalo Township. He attended Mr. Comperatore’s viewing to show respect for his “brother” and “honor a hero.”Mr. Kuhn told The Epoch Times that he never met Mr. Comperatore, but he had been to the Buffalo Township volunteer fire station and worked with the station’s firefighters at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, where the Comperatore family lives.
“It’s a brotherhood, first and foremost,” Mr. Kuhn said about the connection among firefighters. “We support each other. We have each other’s backs. It’s like I told my guys, if you don’t have your brother’s back, you are in the wrong room.”
Mr. Kuhn talked to The Epoch Times moments after leaving Laube Hall. He stood in the hot afternoon sun with his 12-year-old daughter, Isabella.
“It’s the nature of a firefighter to protect others and go into danger. He showed that, protecting his family and giving his life. He showed the man he is, and I say is, not was, because he left a legacy that lives,” Mr. Kuhn said.
Firefighters, family, and friends were among the crowd of more than 1,000 people who paid their respects to Mr. Comperatore. Mourners also included men and women from around the country who felt compelled to honor him.
Verne Cissman was born in the Pittsburgh area but his family moved out of state when he was in elementary school. He returns for his birthday every year, and this time the trip coincided with former President Trump’s rally in Butler.
Mr. Cissman told The Epoch Times he decided to stay for Mr. Comperatore’s memorial service because “I feel a connection with someone I never knew.”
“He’s a man of faith; so am I. He’s a father, as am I, and he loved MercyMe’s ‘I Can Only Imagine.’ I’ve sung that song in church. I felt I needed to be here to show respect for a man who believed in what I believe in.”
“Some friends have told me that I’m part of history because I was at the rally, but it’s horrible to be part of that history. I would rather it had been like every other Trump rally and he was still here,” Mr. Cissman said, referring to Mr. Comperatore.
Scott Docherty, 68, is president of CID Associates, a manufacturing company in Sarver. Mr. Comperatore’s stepbrother, Steve Warheit, works at the firm.
Mr. Docherty said that Mr. Warheit told him the Comperatore family wasn’t originally sitting in the seats, but instead standing to to the left behind the podium.
“Someone from the campaign team said there were four open seats up front, and would they like to sit there. Corey said yes,” Mr. Docherty said. “Talk about a freak accident, and a tragedy.”
Before excusing himself to attend the viewing, Mr. Docherty said, “A man lost his life because of the hatred in this country. This hatred has to stop. Instead of having a civilized conversation with somebody, people are killing each other. The world has to change, and it needs to change fast.”
Community Mourns
At the Buffalo Township volunteer fire station, an American flag blew in the breeze at half-staff to remember Mr. Comperatore. Firefighters at the company have said that they are not surprised their former chief died protecting his family.Three consecutive days of events to honor Mr. Comperatore were scheduled in the region.
Lernerville Speedway hosted a candlelight vigil on July 17. Two public viewings were slated for July 18 in Freeport. Mr. Comperatore’s funeral, which is private, will take place on July 19 at Cabot Methodist Church in Sarver.
About 500 fire trucks are expected to take part in a procession before and after the funeral, and law enforcement officials are preparing for crowds to line the funeral procession route.
Earlier this week, former President Trump called Mrs. Comperatore to offer his condolences, and she wrote about the call in a post on Facebook.
“He was very kind and said he would continue to call me in the days and weeks ahead,” she said.
“I told him the same thing I told everyone else: He left this world a hero and God welcomed him in,” Mrs. Comperatore said in reference to her late husband. ”He did not die in vain that day.”
President Joe Biden called Mrs. Comperatore, but she told the New York Post that she didn’t talk to him because “my husband was a devout Republican and he would not have wanted me to talk to him.”
His daughter, Allyson Comperatore, wrote on social media that her father was the “best dad a girl could ask for” and said “my sister and I never needed for anything.”
“He could talk and make friends with anyone, which he was doing all day yesterday and loved every minute of it. He was a man of God, loved Jesus fiercely, and also looked after our church and our members as family,” she wrote.
Two GoFundMe campaigns have raised millions of dollars in the aftermath of the shooting.
Sharing Memories
At Lernerville Speedway on July 17, residents gathered for a candlelight vigil to reflect on Mr. Comperatore’s life.“Where do you start when you’re asked to speak about somebody who’s so loved and one that showed his love for his family,” Dan Ritter said at the vigil.
Faith, family, and freedom—in that order—are what Mr. Comperatore loved, Mr. Ritter said.
Mr. Ritter said that Mr. Comperatore was also a fishing enthusiast.
“If his fishing rod could speak, you would all be hearing some great fishing stories,” Mr. Ritter said.
Kelly McCollough, who organized the vigil, told the audience that political views were not important at the event.
“Tonight is an important message of unity, as far as this community goes,” Mrs. McCullough said. “We are broken, and we are broken for the Comperatore family. We need clarity in this chaos. We need strength. We need healing.”
Mr. Ritter said he was not surprised when he learned of his close friend’s actions at the rally.
“He did what a good father would do. You protect those you love. He’s a true hero for us all. I want to personally let the family know that he loved you all and he was proud to tell me about it,” Mr. Ritter said.
Mr. Ritter remembered a social media post that Mr. Comperatore wrote when he struggled to find his life purpose.
“When I look at my daughters, I can see a purpose. My wife and I raised them well,” Mr. Ritter noted about what Mr. Comperatore wrote.
