Trump points out Marc Fogel and his mother, Corey Comperatore’s family during his speech before joint session of Congress
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During his address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump acknowledged the former Oakmont teacher released from a Russian prison last month after three years in captivity and the widow and daughters of the Buffalo Township man killed in an assassination attempt last year at Butler County campaign rally.
Trump told about how Marc Fogel, formerly of Oakmont, was in a Russian prison facing a 14-year sentence, for taking medical marijuana into the country in August 2021.
Trump, as he did much of the nearly two-hour speech, took a shot at former President Biden for his failure to get Fogel released. Trump said he was able to get Fogel released after just 22 days in office, but omitted that Fogel was exchanged for a Russian prisoner in the United States.
Sitting behind first lady Melania Trump, Fogel rose with his mother, Malphine Fogel, 95, of Butler Township, to a standing ovation.
“To Marc and his great mom, we are delighted to have you safe and sound and with us,” Trump said.
Trump told Congress and others in the House chamber how he met Fogel’s mother before going on stage July 13 rally at the Butler Farm Show near Butler, promised how he would bring her son home and never forgot that promise.
“Less than 10 minutes later, at that same rally, gunfire rang out and a sick and deranged assassin unloaded eight bullets from his sniper’s perch into the crowd of many thousands of people,” Trump said, referring to Thomas M. Cook, 20, of Bethel Park, who was killed by security personnel.
Corey Comperatore, a Buffalo Township firefighter who was a Trump supporter sitting behind the president, was fatally shot instead. Trump described Comperatore as a protector above all, who, when he heard the sound of gunshots pierce the air, knew what to do.
“He threw himself atop his wife and daughters and shielded them from the bullets with his own body,” Trump said. “He sacrificed his life to save theirs.”
Helen Comperatore, along with daughters Allyson and Kayelle, stood and were acknowledged by the audience with a standing ovation.
The Fogels and Comperatores were among 15 people that first lady Melania Trump invited to the address before Congress, according to a White House news release.
The appearance at the Trump’s State of Union Address caps a month in which Fogel triumphantly returned to the U.S. on Feb. 11 in an extraordinary homecoming after more than three years of captivity in Russian prisons.
Fogel’s mother had lobbied the Biden administration, and then Trump, to bring her son home. Her wish came true on Feb. 11 when U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff flew to Russia on his private jet and returned Fogel to the United States.
That night, Fogel, who also has taught in Malaysia, Colombia, Oman and Venezuela, met Trump at the White House.
Clutching a can of Iron City beer and with an American flag around his neck, Fogel spoke for a few minutes from the Diplomatic Reception Room.
As he met Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, Fogel said, “I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now.”
Fogel spent that night in Washington, D.C., before heading to San Antonio, Texas, where he received a full medical checkup at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston.
In the Butler County assassination attempt, two other spectators — David Dutch, 57, of Plum and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township were seriously wounded.
Fogel returned to Western Pennsylvania a week later.