Former President Donald Trump began his speech at the Republican National Convention Thursday night by sharing details of the attempt on his life at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Trump, after formally accepting the Republican nomination for president, told the crowd he will share what happened at the rally, but that "you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s too painful to tell."
"Music was loudly playing, and the campaign was doing well. I went to the stage, and the crowd was cheering wildly," Trump recalled. "I began speaking very happily because I was discussing the great job my administration did on immigration at the southern border."
"The numbers were amazing. In order to see the chart, I started to turn to my right, and was ready to begin a further turn, which I’m lucky I didn’t, when I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me, really, really, hard, on my right ear," Trump continued.
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"I said to myself, 'Wow, what was that — it can only be a bullet,' — and moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down, and my hand was covered with blood. I immediately knew it was very serious, that we were under attack, and in one movement, proceeded to drop to the ground."
The former president, who appeared on stage with a bandage on his damaged ear, then said the Secret Service jumped on top of him and protected him.
"There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way I felt very safe, because I had God on my side," Trump said. "The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at the very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be with you tonight."
At one point, Trump repeated that he "is not supposed to be here," and the RNC crowd replied by chanting "yes you are."
The 78-year-old then said he thought the crowd's reaction was the "most incredible aspect" of that day, saying that the rallygoers did not panic and "run for the exits and stampede." Instead, they cheered the former president as he got up and shouted fight while clenching his fist.
"Nobody ran, and by not stampeding, many lives were saved. But that isn’t the reason they didn’t move—the reason is that they knew I was in serious trouble, they saw all of the blood, and thought I was dead, and they just didn’t want to leave me, and you can see that love written all over their faces," he said.
Two people in the crowd were injured due to the assassin's gunfire, and one man, Corey Comperatore, died.
Trump held a moment of silence for Comperatore and was accompanied by his firefighter helmet and jacket on stage. At one point, Trump walked across the stage to the gear and kissed Comperatore's helmet.
"Corey, a highly respected former fire chief, was accompanied by his wife Helen and two precious daughters. He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets," he said. " He was such a fine man."
The former president ended his recanting of the assassination attempt with a call for unity.
"Despite such a heinous attack, we unite this evening more determined than ever. Our resolve is unbroken, and our purpose is unchanged — to deliver a government that serves the American people," Trump said.
"This election should be about the issues facing our country and how to make America successful, safe, free, and great again. In an age when our politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizens — we are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," he added.
