State of the Union Cites War Hero

By COLlive reporter

Jewish residents of the town of Gilbert in Arizona who watched the State of the Union address delivered by President Barack Obama saw a familiar face being highlighted.

The mention of U.S. Army Ranger Cory Remsburg, a resident of Gilbert, got the President his longest standing ovation Tuesday night.

Remsburg has been fighting to recover after a roadside bomb nearly killed him in Afghanistan. “For months, he lay in a coma,” the President said with Remsburg in the crowd, seated near First Lady Michelle Obama.

When “I met him, in the hospital, he couldn’t speak; he could barely move. Over the years, he’s endured dozens of surgeries and procedures, hours of grueling rehab every day,” President Obama said.

“Even now, Cory is still blind in one eye. He still struggles on his left side. But slowly, steadily, with the support of caregivers like his dad Craig, and the community around him, Cory has grown stronger.

“Day by day, he’s learned to speak again and stand again and walk again, and he’s working toward the day when he can serve his country again,” Obama said.

One of the recent instances Remsburg was able to speak was two months ago when he participated in the public Menorah lighting ceremony of the Chabad Jewish center of Gilbert, Arizona.

“He made a special effort to come; it really wasn’t easy for him,” said Shliach Rabbi Shimi Ash. “He’s not able to speak much and before the event he practiced saying “Happy Chanukah” which was so thoughtful and caring of him.”

Held at the SanTan Village, an open-air mall-center, Remsburg was brought on a wheel chair to the event by his father and honored by kindling the shamash candle on the large menorah. The theme was “Saluting our troops. Illuminating our pride.”

“His participation and his overcoming physical strain to light the menorah made a very big impact on many people,” said Rabbi Ash. “Everyone was very appreciative to Chabad for giving him the honor; but the honor was ours.”

Obama said: “Men and women like Cory remind us that America has never come easy. Sometimes we stumble; we make mistakes; we get frustrated or discouraged. But for more than 200 years we have put those things aside and placed our collective shoulder to the wheel of progress.”

“Like the Army he loves, like the America he serves, Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg never gives up, and he does not quit,” the President said to extended cheers and applause.