Trump Hasn't Called Family of Supporter Killed at Rally, Wife Says

The widow of Corey Comperatore, the heroic volunteer firefighter killed while shielding his family during the shooting at a Donald Trump campaign rally, said that the former president has not reached out to the grieving family.

The silence from Trump contrasts with an attempted call from President Joe Biden, which the Comperatore family declined. Helen Comperatore, speaking from her home in Sarver, Pennsylvania, told the New York Post in an exclusive interview, "I didn't talk to Biden. I didn't want to talk to him," adding, "My husband was a devout Republican and he would not have wanted me to talk to him."

Newsweek contacted Trump's campaign via email on Monday for comment.

The shooting Saturday unfolded on the grounds of the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the 50-year-old Comperatore, former chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, attended the Trump rally. Approximately six minutes into Trump's speech, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on the crowd in the attempted presidential assassination.

In the ensuing chaos, Comperatore's final act was one of selfless heroism. "He just said, 'get down!' That was the last thing he said," Helen told the Post, her voice thick with emotion. "He's my hero."

The shooting left Trump with a minor ear injury and two others critically wounded. Secret Service personnel "neutralized" and killed the gunman on a nearby rooftop.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, praised Comperatore's sacrifice in a Sunday news conference. "We lost a fellow Pennsylvanian last night," Shapiro said. "Corey died a hero. He dove on his family to protect them."

The tragedy has sparked nationwide discussions on campaign security, gun control and political rhetoric. Biden spoke out following the assassination attempt from the Oval Office on Sunday, urging Americans to "lower the temperature" in an increasingly heated political climate.

Randy Reamer, president of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, told Newsweek he remembered Comperatore as "a great guy" and "a dedicated family man" with extensive knowledge of the fire service.

The Comperatore family's story has resonated across the country, with a GoFundMe campaign raising over $1 million in days. "The donations that are coming in across the community and across the country, it's more than I can even imagine," Helen told the Post. "It's more than I can fathom, but he deserves it all. He deserves everything."

Corey's daughter, Allyson, paid tribute on social media, calling her father "a real-life superhero" and "the best dad a girl could ever ask for." His sister remembered him as "a hero that shielded his daughters."

Whether Trump reaches out to the Comperatore family could become a focal point in discussions about leadership and compassion in American politics.

For now, Helen Comperatore and her children mourn a husband and father who embodied heroism in his final moments. "He was a simple man but he put his wife and kids first all the time," Helen said. "He was a very loving husband."