Vice President Mike Pence came to the aid of a Coast Guard service member during his speech at Coast Guard Base Portsmouth, in Virginia, on Wednesday.
Pence was wrapping up his speech and issuing thanks to service members when just a few feet away from his podium, an audible thud and commotion stemmed from a service member who fainted.
Watch the video below:
Pence was thanking members of the Coast Guard for their work despite payment delays throughout the government shutdown, and the commitment of service members to put others before themselves.
“Public service is a calling. Public safety is a calling. It’s a calling to a mission to consider others as more important than yourself, to count your life as less important than the lives of your countrymen,” Pence said.
“So I really came here to say thank you,” he continued, before he was cut off by the commotion of the fainting service member.
Video shows Pence rushing to the female service member’s side. He and two other service members grasped her arm and helped lift her upright.
The VP stops, helps the lady, makes sure she is taken care of and continues. Thankful for his leadership. U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) member faints during @VP Pence speech in Portsmouth, VA. pic.twitter.com/gUmAEaOEvL
— Terri Green (@TerriGreenUSA) February 7, 2019
Pence remained at her side for a few moments, helping escort her a few steps to the end of the stage until the other two service members appeared to reassure him that she was okay.
He returned to the podium where he paused a moment to watch the service member before continuing his speech as if nothing happened.
“I came here to say thank you,” he began again. “Thank you for each and every one of you for your service. Thank you for what you do to keep the American people safe each and every day.”
“Just know that while you have our thanks, you have our support, I’m also confident that you do have the prayers of millions of Americans,” Pence said. “So I’ll close with that prayer, as well: No harm will ever take you, no disaster will ever come near you. May he guard you in all your ways, as you guard the people of the United States of America.”
Vice President Mike Pence visits United States Coast Guard https://t.co/QHulGkna71 pic.twitter.com/8BG4vGx7IF
— WLOS (@WLOS_13) February 6, 2019
Approximately 100 service members were in attendance for Pence’s speech, which he gave after taking a tour of the Portsmouth base and Coast Guard Cutter Bear, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
His speech also focused on drug trafficking frequently confronted by the Coast Guard as one of the reasons necessitating strengthened border security and a southern border wall.
“We’re going to secure our border. That’s our promise to each and every one of you. And we’re going to support each one of you in the efforts that you make on behalf of the American people,” he also said during the speech.
