Parents of Sarah Beckstrom to Attend State of the Union as Trump Awards Purple Heart to West Virginia Guards
President Donald Trump will spotlight the parents of sarah beckstrom at the State of the Union on Tuesday, bringing the family of the 20-year-old National Guard member killed in an ambush-style attack while patrolling Washington, D. C., a day before Thanksgiving. The appearance coincides with public recognition and Pentagon-approved Purple Hearts for two West Virginia Guardsmen and underscores the administration's focus on the southern border and homeland security.
Sarah Beckstrom: family, service and the shooting
Evalea and Gary Beckstrom will attend the speech as special guests. Their daughter, Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, was 20 when she was shot not far from the White House on Nov. 26 in what has been described as an ambush-style attack while she was patrolling the streets of Washington, D. C., a day before Thanksgiving. Beckstrom had worked for a behavioral health agency before deployment, supporting people at risk of psychiatric hospitalization, and she volunteered for the Trump administration's D. C. National Guard deployment. At the time of the shooting she was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade.
Andrew Wolfe: Purple Heart, recovery and Capitol recognition
Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, the other West Virginia Guard member wounded in the Nov. 26 incident near Farragut Square, underwent surgery and is recovering. Pentagon officials announced in early February that both Wolfe and the late Sarah Beckstrom would receive the Purple Heart. At the State of the Union, Wolfe appeared with his mother and sat across the aisle from the Beckstrom family, and President Trump presented a Purple Heart—an honor given to those injured or killed in the line of duty. Trump also referenced a previous conversation with Wolfe's mother about her hope that her son would survive.
Dalilah Coleman: crash injuries and guest invitation
Also invited to the speech is 7-year-old Dalilah Coleman, who was critically injured in a six-car pileup in California that prosecutors allege was caused by a truck driver who was in the country illegally. When Dalilah was 5, a commercial tractor-trailer crashed into the car she was riding in, fracturing her skull, breaking her femur and causing a traumatic brain injury, her father, Marcus Coleman, and her mother, Ileana Krause, have said. Marcus Coleman is a truck driver. After emerging from a coma, Dalilah has been recovering but remains nonverbal and has diplegic cerebral palsy.
Legal developments: the driver and the shooting suspect
The truck driver involved in the California crash is Partap Singh, a man from India who was described as undocumented but was driving with a valid California driver's license when the Department of Homeland Security said he failed to stop for traffic and a construction zone. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials took Singh into custody in August 2025. Separately, the suspect in the D. C. shooting is an Afghan national who this month pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill in connection with the two Guard members who subdued him at the scene.
Other national headlines highlighted alongside the address
The State of the Union presentation came amid a slate of other national items in public discussion. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned about financial risks at the firm's annual investor day meeting, its biggest event with members of the analyst community. In sports and culture, Moore was noted as a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft; Jacob Bridgeman moved from a six-shot lead to a PGA Tour victory; and if released, Williams would become a coveted free agent for teams seeking to upgrade their offensive line. Darryn Peterson, after several notable struggles, seemed to be fine on Monday night. Skimo made its Olympic debut, and Day 8 of the Winter Olympics saw Team USA bounce back and relocate the podium. Floyd Mayweather, 49, is stepping back into the ring to rematch Manny Pacquiao, a decision that observers say raises uncomfortable questions about a boxing legend. In the NBA, Kuminga took over as Atlanta's top option after a first-quarter injury to Jalen Johnson and finished the blowout win over the Wizards with a game-high 27 points. On housing, changes expected in 2026 could remove the need for a minimum credit score for some mortgages as lenders look at nontraditional credit factors.
What makes this notable is the way a single address will knit together military recognition, an immigration-linked crash that left a child with lifelong injuries, and broader national concerns—each item tied to a concrete action: Pentagon awards, ICE custody in August 2025, courtroom pleas, and a presidential presentation on the speech floor. The timing matters because the invitations and honors were publicly announced in the weeks leading into the State of the Union, and in early February the Pentagon confirmed the Purple Heart awards that were then presented during the address. President Trump also commented directly on the shooter, saying, "He went cuckoo. I mean, he went nuts, " and adding, "It happens too often with these people. "
