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Trump rally shooting: Woman says firefighter dad died ‘shielding’ family, 'Loved us enough to take a real bullet’

The daughter of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who died while protecting his family during a shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, has spoken out.

Published on: Jul 15, 2024, 13:26:21 IST
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The grieving daughter of 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who died while protecting his family during a shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, has spoken out. Comperatore served as chief of a volunteer company in the early 2000s. He eventually cut back his role to focus on his family.

Daughter of firefighter Corey Comperatore recalls how he died ‘shielding’ family (Allyson Comperatore/Facebook)
Daughter of firefighter Corey Comperatore recalls how he died ‘shielding’ family (Allyson Comperatore/Facebook)

When 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire in an attempt to assassinate Trump, the former president was wounded but Comperatore lost his life. Until his death, he remained an active firefighter and member of his community. Crooks was later killed by Secret Service snipers.

‘He shielded my body from the bullet’

His daughter, Allyson Comperatore, has now shared her sorrow in a Facebook post. “Yesterday time stopped. And when it started again my family and I started living a real-life nightmare,” Allyson wrote. “What was supposed to be an exciting day that we had all looked forward to (ESPECIALLY my dad), turned into the most traumatizing experiences someone could imagine.”

Allyson went on to say that she knows that the media will cover the incident, but she wants the world to know what “the media will not cover, and will not say about him.” “He was the best dad a girl could ever ask for. My sister and I never needed for anything. You call, he would answer, and he would do whatever it is you needed, and if he didn't know how he would figure out how. 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 said of her father.

Allyson described how her father “threw my mom and I to the ground” and “shielded my body from the bullet that came at us” to protect them. “He loved his family. He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us. And I want nothing more than to cry on him and tell him thank you. I want nothing more than to wake up and for this to not be reality for me and my family,” she said.

Describing her dad as a “selfless, loving, husband, father, brother, uncle, son, and friend,” Allyson wrote, “And I will never stop thinking about him and mourning over him until the day that I die too. July 13th will forever be a day the changed my life. I will never be the same person I was less than 24 hours ago.”

She concluded, “There are a lot of children out there that say their dad is their hero, but my dad really is mine. I don't think I would be here today without him. Dad, I love you so much that there aren't enough words to express how deep that love goes. I know you'll give heaven some hell. I know that God is proud of the man that came to His gates yesterday.”

  • Sumanti Sen
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sumanti Sen

    Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More