January 1, Trump Pauses Event for Grieving Mother’s Surgery Update

Wyatt’s Take

• Trump took time at the White House to check on a grieving mother, showing a human side overlooked by the media.
• Families shattered by crimes committed by illegal immigrants gathered to share their pain and call for action.
• The president promised stronger immigration laws and recognized these families’ sacrifices with a new day of remembrance.

During an Angel Families ceremony in the East Room, President Trump paused the event to speak with Patty Morin, whose daughter Rachel was killed by an illegal immigrant. With a lighthearted tone, he asked about her health and upcoming eye surgery.

“I gave her money to get her eyes fixed. A lot of money to get her eyes fixed. That doctor ripped me off. But that’s OK,” Trump said.

Morin shared that her surgery had been delayed due to grief causing a heart attack. She is scheduled to have the procedure soon.

Her daughter, Rachel, was murdered in 2023 by Salvadoran national Victor Martinez-Hernandez, who now faces life in prison without parole.

“You’re going to have 20/20 vision. You know she’s almost blind. Cataracts. She’s almost blind,” Trump added. “He’s an expensive doctor. Top of the line, right? But you know what? You’re going to have 20/20 vision.”

The president recognized Americans who have lost loved ones to crimes committed by illegal immigrants, honoring their strength and loss.

“Throughout this hall, I am joined by heartbroken Americans who have lost parents, siblings, children, grandchildren, and treasured loved ones to the scourge of illegal immigration, let in by the past administration,” President Trump said.

He assured these families that “their suffering is forgotten no longer.”

Allyson Phillips, mother of Laken Riley, also spoke, honoring her daughter lost in 2024 to violence by a Venezuelan national in Georgia. Other parents and family members recounted their own painful stories.

Steve Ronnebeck, who lost his son Grant in Arizona, called the deaths preventable and pressed for tougher enforcement. “They could have been stopped. We could have done so much more,” he said.

At the end of the event, Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 22 as “National Angel Family Day.” The White House pledged support for these families and renewed a commitment to stepping up deportation of criminal illegal immigrants, seeking to protect American communities and law enforcement.

Read more at Fox News

Wyatt Matters

Our communities deserve real leadership that puts the safety of American families above all else. When politicians listen to those hurting most and fight for common-sense laws, it sends a message that the heartland still matters.