THE family of Corey Comperatore, who died in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump have spoken of their grief one year on.
Corey died on July 13, 2024, while shielding his daughter from the bullets shot by gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks who was taken out by a sniper.
The president was left bloodied on the stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, after a bullet clipped his ear and two others were wounded.
In remembrance of the tragic event’s anniversary, Corey’s wife Helen and their daughters, Kaylee and Allyson, have shared their desire to “carry on his legacy” after a year marked by grief.
The family of the former Buffalo Township firefighter also revealed how the President continues to support them to this day.
Helen told the Butler Eagle that she still communicates with Trump and how the 79-year-old sent her a heartfelt letter on the anniversary, stating they are “bonded for life.”
“He wrote in [a letter], he said, ‘I want you to know that our families are bonded for life,’ ” Helen recalled.
“I couldn’t believe I was getting a letter from the president.”
She mentioned that losing her 50-year-old husband has forced her to “figure out how to live without my best friend” and “navigate being a single parent.”
The couple had been together for 34 years.
“I just feel like the days have been so long, but yet, here we are,” Corey’s eldest daughter Allyson told the outlet.
“It’s just about a year later, and it’s hard to grasp that amount of time has actually gone by”.
On Saturday the family held a 50-mile motorcycle ride and celebration called Corey’s Cruise which Allyson’s younger sister Kaylee called “bitter sweet”.
Helen and her daughters led the convoy in Corey’s Ford Mustang convertible which he had loved since he was a teenager and the day ended with music and fireworks.
Kaylee told ABC affiliate WTAE that being able to focus on honoring her father and “continuing his legacy” gave her and her sister “purpose” as they navigate their grief.
“Of course, I wish my dad was here and we didn’t have to do any of this,” she said.
“But the fact that the world knows my dad’s name and they care so much about him and the sacrifice he made for our family, our country, and everything he did … It means the world that people know my dad’s name and want to come celebrate him.”
