Butler County remembers fallen firefighter Corey Comperatore
WINFIELD TWP — None of the hundreds — if not thousands — who gathered inside and outside Cabot Church on Friday, July 19 for Corey Comperatore’s funeral were surprised by the lengths to which the Buffalo Township man went for his family less than a week prior.
The private ceremony Friday, lengthy funeral procession and massive show of community support honored the former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company chief, who died July 13 while shielding his wife and daughter from stray bullets at the rally for current presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump at the Butler Farm Show grounds.
“He was a man of decision, so it was shocking, not surprising, to hear he did what he did,” said Roger Kennedy, one of the last people sitting in church after the funeral, still taking in the loss of his friend.
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Attendees of Corey Comperatore's funeral service at Cabot Church stand on the grounds to watch the procession after Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A funeral service for Corey Comperatore was held at Cabot Church on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Corey Comperatore's casket is loaded into a Sarver fire truck after his funeral service at Cabot Church in Cabot on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Snipers keep a watch on the crowd during Corey Comperatore's funeral service at Cabot Church on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters and other law enforcement personnel stand outside Cabot Church during Corey Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters and other law enforcement personnel stand outside Cabot Church during Corey Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire truck is parked outside Cabot Church during Corey Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Sharon Ambrose of Clearfield Township waves an American flag during the funeral procession of Corey Comperatore from Cabot Church to Freeport on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters and other law enforcement personnel stand outside Cabot Church during Corey Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters and other law enforcement personnel stand around a Saxonburg fire truck which carried Corey Comperatore to Cabot Church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A fleet of fire trucks and other law enforcement vehicles escort Corey Comperatore to Cabot Church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A funeral service for Corey Comperatore was held at Cabot Church on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Isaac Ambrose, 10, of Clearfield Township waves an American flag during the funeral procession of Corey Comperatore from Cabot Church to Freeport on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A fleet of fire trucks and other law enforcement vehicles escort Corey Comperatore to Cabot Church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A funeral service for Corey Comperatore was held at Cabot Church on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Isaac Ambrose, 10, of Clearfield Township waves an American flag during the funeral procession of Corey Comperatore from Cabot Church to Freeport on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A funeral service for Corey Comperatore was held at Cabot Church on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A Saxonburg fire truck carries Corey Comperatore's body to Freeport from Cabot Church after his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Attendees of Corey Comperatore's funeral service at Cabot Church stand on the grounds to watch the procession after Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters and other law enforcement personnel stand outside Cabot Church during Corey Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A fleet of fire trucks and other law enforcement vehicles escort Corey Comperatore to Freeport from Cabot Church after his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A fleet of fire trucks and other law enforcement vehicles escort Corey Comperatore to Freeport from Cabot Church after his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A Saxonburg fire truck carries Corey Comperatore's body to Cabot Church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Isaac Ambrose, 10, left, Eli Ambrose, 8, and Sharon Ambrose of Clearfield Township wave American flags during the funeral procession of Corey Comperatore from Cabot Church to Freeport on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Eli Ambrose, 8, of Clearfield Township waves American flags during the funeral procession of Corey Comperatore from Cabot Church to Freeport on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A funeral service for Corey Comperatore was held at Cabot Church on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Motorcycles help escort Corey Comperatore to Cabot Church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Corey Comperatore's casket is loaded into a Saxonburg fire truck and escorted to Freeport from Cabot Church after his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters and other law enforcement personnel stand outside Cabot Church during Corey Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A fleet of fire trucks and other law enforcement vehicles escort Corey Comperatore to Cabot Church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters and other law enforcement personnel stand outside Cabot Church during Corey Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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A Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire truck waits outside Cabot Church after escorting Corey Comperatore's body to the church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters head toward the entrance of Cabot Church ahead of Corey Comperatore's funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters and other law enforcement personnel stand around a Saxonburg fire truck which carried Corey Comperatore to Cabot Church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters wait beside their fire trucks after escorting Corey Comperatore's body to Cabot Church ahead of his funeral service on Friday, July 19, 2024. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
The ceremony, which was led by the Rev. Jonathan Fehl and included remarks by family members and music by Billy Ray Cyrus, was touching, Kennedy said.
“His wife and two daughters talked about their love for him, and there was some humor in there, too,” said Kennedy, a fellow member of Cabot Church and Summit Township resident. “It was a touching ceremony.”
Firefighters who attended the funeral for their fallen brother, Comperatore, estimated more than 150 emergency response vehicles turned out for the procession Friday morning. It took almost a half hour for all the trucks and vehicles, many of them adorned with wreaths and flowers, to make their way into a parking lot on Brose Road, near Cabot Church.
Kris Bowser, assistant chief of Herman Volunteer Fire Company, said their attendance signified a consistent message to the people who just learned of Butler County — that the firefighting community is like a family.
Many firefighters present Friday did not know Comperatore personally, but it didn't matter. Bowser said the Herman company had once traveled to West Virginia to pay respects to a deceased firefighter.
“We’re here to show support for Corey and the Comperatores,” Bowser said. “It just shows a camaraderie of the fire departments here. It’s family.”
James Drane, a driver and operator for Upper Burrell Volunteer Fire Company, said he attended at least one training session where Comperatore was also in attendance. Although he didn’t know Comperatore personally, Drane said the response from so many emergency response departments for the funeral demonstrates the connection that exists between first responders.
“It just shows unity,” Drane said. “The fire departments are in unity and that’s what this country should be.”
Residents of Winfield Road lined the street outside the church to watch the lengthy funeral procession, or just to witness what they said was national news in their neighborhood.
Mike Drane, a 30-year resident of Buffalo Township and James Drane’s brother, said he wanted to stand by the church to show his respects for Comperatore, and commented that he used to see Comperatore out and about it town.
“He loved his community. He would go out in the middle of the night for fires,” Mike Drane said. “I just wanted to be out here to show my respect for him.”
Roland Hall, of Buffalo Township, said he knew of Comperatore because his wife and Comperatore’s wife are both involved in committees with the Cabot Church. Hall brought his grandchildren to the church with him, where they planted flags on the grass in Comperatore’s honor.
Hall said he hopes an event like Comperatore’s funeral brings people together.
“I just figured I wanted to be here,” Hall said. “We’ve got to put away our differences, especially when something like this happens.”
Other children sitting outside the church waved American flags as they listened to the 21-gun salute performed for Comperatore in the church’s parking lot, which was followed by the playing of taps.
Sharon Ambrose, of Fenelton, said the Comperatores were good friends of her family, as her two grandchildren, Isaac and Eli Ambrose, waved flags toward the church.
Kennedy said Comperatore will be missed, because he was always present at church events, and even at Kennedy family functions.
“Any time we had a church function, he was there. When my children got married, he was there,” Kennedy said. “I’m a farmer, and he was a farmer, we would always talk about that.”
