Billy Ray Cyrus Performs At Funeral for Firefighter Killed At Trump Rally: ‘He Gave All For His Family And His Country’
Cyrus honored the late Corey Comperatore with a rendition of “Amazing Grace” and a performance of “Some Gave All.”
Billy Ray Cyrus; Photo by Andrew Wendowski, Corey Comperatore; Photo Courtesy Allyson Comperatore/ Facebook
Billy Ray Cyrus paid his respects to Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who was shot and killed at the Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with a two-song performance at his funeral on Friday (July 19).
According to People.com, Cyrus, 62, performed “Amazing Grace” as well as his 1992 release, “Some Gave All,” during Comperatore’s celebration of life at Cabot Church in Cabot, PA, where Comperatore was reportedly a longtime member.
Cyrus shared a video clip from Friday’s celebration of life and wrote, Corey Comperatore made the ultimate sacrifice. He gave all for his family and his country. It was an honor to be at his service today. You’re all in my prayers. All Gave Some Some Gave All.”
Earlier in the week, following the shocking news of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and the devastating news of Comperatore’s death, Cyrus shared a heartfelt message on social media.
“Just saw this post about Corey Comperatore who shielded his family. This firefighter lived, and died, to give all for his family and country. I am praying for America, Corey Comperatore’s family, the people critically wounded, the families who experienced trauma by witnessing it all unfold,” he wrote. “I wrote ‘Some Gave All’ in 1989 and I’ve seen many photos and moments in the past that articulated what I wrote the song about, but none more than this, on this given day. Thoughts and prayers with Corey Comperatore, Mr Trump, his family, all the brave men and women who were willing to give their all in the name of freedom and democracy.”
The New York Times reports a procession of around 500 fire trucks from as far as Texas and Florida drove from the church to the fire station where the late father and husband served his community for decades. Along the drive, a large electronic billboard reportedly showcased a photo of Corey Comperatore, honoring him as a “real hero.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro praised Comperatore for his bravery as he “died trying to protect his family.”
Following Comperatore’s tragic death, his daughter, Allyson, penned a heartfelt dedication to her father with hopes to convey his bravery in the moments leading to his death.
“I want everyone to know what the media will not cover, and will not say about him,” she urged.
As she continued, she recalled her father’s unwavering dedication to his family.
“He was the best dad a girl could ever ask for. My sister and I never needed for anything. You call, he would answer, and he would do whatever it is you needed, and if he didn’t know how he would figure out how. He could talk and make friends with anyone, which he was doing all day yesterday and loved every minute of it,” she shared. “He was a man of God, loved Jesus fiercely, and also looked after our church and our members as family.”
She added, “The media will not tell you that he died a real-life super hero. They are not going to tell you how quickly he threw my mom and I to the ground. They are not going to tell you that he shielded my body from the bullet that came at us.”
In closing, she promised to never stop thinking about her dad and declared that she will love him forever, no matter what.
“He loved his family. He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us. And I want nothing more than to cry on him and tell him thank you. I want nothing more than to wake up and for this to not be reality for me and my family,’ she stated.
Trump paid tribute to Corey Comperatore during the Republican National Convention on Thursday evening. According to CBS News, he said, “Tragically the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore, unbelievable person, everybody tells me.”
He then prompted the crowd to offer a moment of silence for the late firefighter.
“He was incredible, he was a highly respected former fire chief,” Trump proclaimed. “…He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets. He went right over the top of them and was hit. What a fine man he was.”
A GoFundMe to support Comperatore’s family has raised over $1.3 million to date.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
