Family details WWII veteran's experience being carried down to seat at Trump rally
PHOENIX - A World War II veteran and his family are still in awe of their experience at President Donald Trump's Phoenix campaign rally Wednesday.
Two strangers carried the vet down a flight of stairs to his seat at the rally held at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. The video has now been viewed more than 5 million times.
100-year-old Ervin Julian's son was able to get him the VIP treatment at the rally. President Trump's campaign employees even reserved seats for them on the floor of the coliseum next to the stage.
But getting there going down a flight of stairs was an obstacle they didn't anticipate. These days, he needs help getting around on his own.
We visited the 100-year-old veteran at his assisted living facility the day after the memorable moment.
His son, Steve, got in contact with President Trump's campaign and arranged to have his father and their family sit by the stage. As campaign aides were escorting them to their seats, they realized Ervin was going to have trouble getting down a flight of stairs without his walker.
"So they asked if I could get him down the stairs, I said 'Sure, I'll have my son on one side and I'm on one side and we'll get him down,'" his son remembered. However, two men came to the rescue. "Two guys, just right there, coming up said, 'Hey we'll carry him if you want us to and I went 'sure.'"
"All of a sudden people are clapping ... next thing you know they break out in a U.S.A. chant and that's when it all started," he said.
It was an even bigger surprise when president Trump referenced Ervin's newfound celebrity status during his speech. The campaign also gave Ervin a hat signed by the president, a pin and a gold coin.
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