Before his speech in Butler, PA, President Donald Trump promised Marc Fogel’s 95-year-old mother he would release her son from a Russian prison.
Trump vowed to keep that promise even after an assassin tried to kill him later that day.
Trump and his envoy announced Fogel’s release early Tuesday.
Trump, the president of the most powerful country in the world, stood outside in the cold and snow to personally greet and welcome Fogel home.
MARC FOGEL: I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now. And I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all. And President Trump is a hero.These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes. The senators and representatives that passed legislation in my honor to get me home are the heroes. I am in awe of what they all did.My family has been a force. I think my 95 year old mother is probably the most dynamic 95 year old on Earth right now. And I am so indebted to so many people.I think I remember a Churchill quote that he said when the RAF was fighting to lift off. And he said that never have so many owed so much to so few. And I put myself fortunately and unfortunately into that category.And I said never has one owed so much to so many that this super organism of people that came to my support and the love that I was given sustained me for three and a half years in a prison that had me in hospitals for more than 100 days. I was given more than 400 injections in that time. And knowing I had the support of my fellow Pennsylvanians, my family, my friends, it was so overwhelming that it brought me to my knees and it brought me to tears.But it was my energy. It was my being that kept me going that whole time. And I will forever be indebted to President Trump, to Steve over there.What a dynamic man this guy is. When I met him, the energy, the can-do attitude just exudes from his body. And when he smiled at me and introduced me and I got the feel for what has happened, you know, it’s not just me, it’s everybody.And Secretary Rubio, who met my son a while back. I’m a middle-class schoolteacher who’s now in a dream world.PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We’re going to show you the Lincoln bedroom. It’s a very special, special place. Appropriate for tonight.Very appropriate.FOGEL: And thank you all. And I love our country. And I’m so happy to be back here.And I wish I could articulate it better.TRUMP: You’ve done beautifully. And he’s got a great mother. And when I saw the mother at a rally, she said, if you win, will you get my son out?And I promise she’s 95 years old. And I said, we’ll get him out. And we got him out pretty quickly.FOGEL: She told me that exact words.
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