On Saturday, a shooter opened fire at a Donald Trump political rally in Pennsylvania. While several were injured including the former president, volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore died in the shooting. The 50-year-old was struck while trying to protect his family from gunfire.
His colleagues said that Comperatore often demonstrated the qualities of a hero as a firefighter. They said that he loved his family more than anything. "His two girls and his wife was everything," Kip Johnston, fire chief and 43-year veteran of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, told the New York Post. "...Couldn't ask for a better [firefighter]."
Comperatore served as the volunteer fire chief for several years in the early 2000s. However, he ultimately chose to cut back on the role to spend more time with his children and wife. However, he remained an active firefighter until his death. His fellow firefighters said that he often put his life on the line to help others. They described Comperatore as someone dependable and who knew how to handle the dangers around him.
Firefighter Remembered As Hero
"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."
Comperatore was a vocal conservative. They said that he was proud of his political views. However, they said that he never tried to force his politics on anyone else and was very accepting of others.
"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."
They described him as a great family man. "Great leader, great family man, good friend," Johnston said of Comperatore. Meanwhile Johnston's wife Lee, who teaches at the Buffalo Elementary School, said the entire family was great.
"We've had a very close relationship, not only at the fire company, but outside of the fire company as well," Mrs. Johnston said. "Their whole family is just very sweet people."
In honor of the late firefighter, his company lowered the American flag outside the firehouse to half-staff. Likewise, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered all flags in the state to be flown at half-staff in his honor.
