President Donald Trump awarded the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor to a dozen men at the White House on Wednesday, one man who was shot twelve times in the line of duty.
Trump highlighted the story of Senior Trooper Nicholas Cederberg from the Oregon State Police who left his family on Christmas night in response to a shooting.
“That Christmas night, Nic took twelve bullets,” Trump recalled. “After a very tough recovery, Nic survived. And, Trooper Cederberg, we are very honored to have you with us in the White House. Thank you very much. Great job. He looks awfully good. Twelve bullets.”
Trump added, “Some pretty good doctors, I guess, right?” as Cederberg agreed.
The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor is awarded to law enforcement officials and firefighters who go above the call of duty to save lives and help their comrades in times of danger.
Trump also recognized Officer Alan Horujko from the Ohio State University police force who disrupted an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack on students in 2016.
Eight police officers from the Irwindale and Azusa police departments in California were awarded a medal for neutralizing a mass shooting at a polling center on Election Day, 2016 — Retired Lieutenant Xavier Torres, Sergeant Seth Chapman, Retired Sergeant Terry Smith Jr., Sergeant Thomas Avila III, Sergeant Rocky Wenrick, Retired Corporal Andrew Rodriguez Sr., Senior Officer Carlos Plascencia, and Detective Manuel Campos.
Trump also recognized Fire Captain Dustin Moore and Firefighter Paramedic Andrew Freisner from the Lenexa Fire Department in Kansas for a daring rescue of an unconscious woman and two children in a house fire in 2017.
The president also privately awarded two Medal of Valor awards to two fallen officers who were killed in action, Dallas Police Officer Brent Thompson, who was shot and killed by a gunman during an anti-law enforcement protest in 2016 and Sergeant Verdell Smith of the Memphis Place Department who was struck by a fleeing gunman killed as he cleared the street.
“Your lives of patriotism, your devotion to duty, and your deeds of valor lift up our entire nation,” Trump said during the ceremony. “Today and every day, we thank God that you were there when our communities needed you the most.”