By THE ALASKA STORY
Feb. 25, 2026 – President Donald Trump paused multiple times during Tuesday night’s State of the Union address to honor Americans whose courage, sacrifice, and heroism drew bipartisan applause inside the House chamber.
From wounded warriors to a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and an Olympic gold medalist, the evening became as much about individual valor as it was about policy.
One of the most emotional moments came when Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, a National Guardsman who survived a brutal ambush just feet from the White House in November, was introduced.
Wolfe had been shot multiple times in what authorities said was an attack carried out by an Afghan national. Doctors did not expect him to survive. But he did.
Appearing in the gallery beside his mother, Wolfe received a standing ovation before President Trump awarded him the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.
The chamber erupted in applause as Wolfe acknowledged the crowd, a living testament to survival and service.
Wolfe had not been alone that night.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, just 20 years old, was serving alongside him when she was fatally shot in the same ambush. Her parents attended the address and accepted the Purple Heart on their daughter’s behalf.
The moment was solemn. Lawmakers from both parties stood in silence as the young soldier’s sacrifice was recognized.
The president turned to the devastating floods that struck central Texas last July.
Coast guard survival technician and rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan was credited with helping save nearly 170 people as rising waters overwhelmed communities, including children attending Camp Mystic.
Trump awarded Ruskan the Legion of Merit for what he called “extraordinary heroism.”
Ruskan accepted the medal alongside Milly Cate McClymond, one of the girls he lifted to safety from floodwaters.
“As the waters threatened to sweep her away, 11-year-old Milly Cate McClymond closed her eyes and prayed to God,” Trump said. “Those prayers were answered when Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan descended from a helicopter above … and he lifted not just Milly Cate but 164 others to safety.”
Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, an Army pilot, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during a January mission that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.
Slover continued piloting a Chinook helicopter after being shot multiple times and sustaining severe leg injuries.
Still recovering, Slover stood with the aid of a walker to accept the nation’s highest military decoration. His wife, Amy, stood proudly beside him.
“The success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric’s ability to take the searing pain,” Trump said.
At 100 years old, retired Navy Captain Royce Williams finally received the Medal of Honor for heroism displayed more than seven decades ago.
In 1952, during the Korean War, Williams engaged in a 35-minute dogfight against Soviet aircraft. He shot down four enemy planes while flying an F9F-5 Panther and managed to return to the USS Oriskany despite his jet sustaining 263 bullet holes.
First Lady Melania Trump presented the medal to Williams during the address.
“Tonight, at 100 years old, this brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves,” Trump said.
In a surprise moment blending sports and patriotism, Trump announced he would award goaltender Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Hellebuyck backstopped Team USA to its first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey in 46 years. Trump said he consulted the team in the Oval Office before making the decision, and the players unanimously supported honoring their goalie. Anchorage-raised team goalie Jeremy Swayman was with his team as they gave thumbs up to the House chambers and accepted the accolades from the crowd.
The team, who had been ushered into the gallery, rose to cheers as the announcement was made.
Throughout the evening, the awards punctuated a speech focused heavily on patriotism, sacrifice, and national pride. Democrats said the speech was divisive.
