Firefighter Corey Comperatore, who died protecting his family from the man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump, was remembered by firefighters in rural Butler County. Fellow firefighters were not surprised by Comperatore’s selfless actions.
Comperatore died when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire in an attempt to assassinate the former president in Pennsylvania. Trump, as well as two others, were injured before secret service snipers killed Crooks.
“His two girls and his wife was everything,,” Kip Johnston, fire chief and 43-year veteran of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, told New York Post.
Comperatore served as chief of the company back in the 2000s. He later began focusing on his family by cutting back his role. He was an active firefighter and member of his community until his death.
‘Great leader, great family man, good friend’
“He was one of them guys you wanted to go into a fire with, cause you knew you were coming back out,” said fire company president Randy Reamer, a 15-year veteran. “Sh-t hit the fan, and you were coming back out with him.”
Johnston and Reamer recalled how Comperatore had always been vocal about his conservative political views. However, he was never hostile towards people who disagreed. “You knew his [political] stance,” Reamer said. “If you accepted it, that’s fine. If you didn’t, that’s fine. He didn’t care.”
{{/usCountry}}Johnston and Reamer recalled how Comperatore had always been vocal about his conservative political views. However, he was never hostile towards people who disagreed. “You knew his [political] stance,” Reamer said. “If you accepted it, that’s fine. If you didn’t, that’s fine. He didn’t care.”
{{/usCountry}}Johnston described Comperatore as a “great leader, great family man, good friend.”
Johnston’s wife, Lee Johnston, taught at Buffalo Elementary School, which was attended by Comperatore’s two daughters. Lee spoke very fondly of the family, even though the two girls did not study in her class.
“We’ve had a very close relationship, not only at the fire company, but outside of the fire company as well,” Lee said. “Their whole family is just very sweet people.”
The American flag was lowered to half-staff outside the firehouse on Sunday, July 14, in Comperatore’s honour. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered flags in the state to be flown half staff in Comperatore’s honour, describing him as a local hero.