WASHINGTON, DC (LOOTPRESS) — The parents of Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old National Guard soldier killed in an ambush-style shooting in Washington, D.C., will attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday as special guests, the White House confirmed.
Evalea and Gary Beckstrom will be seated at the U.S. Capitol during the speech, where the president is expected to recognize them while discussing homeland security and immigration. Beckstrom was fatally shot Nov. 26 while on patrol in the nation’s capital. She served with the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade, and had volunteered for the D.C. National Guard mission.
Another guest will be 7-year-old Dalilah Coleman of California, who suffered severe injuries in a six-vehicle crash involving a commercial tractor-trailer. According to federal officials, the truck driver, identified as Partap Singh, an Indian national who was in the country without legal status, allegedly failed to stop for traffic and a construction zone. Singh held a valid California driver’s license and was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in August 2025.
Dalilah was 5 at the time of the crash and sustained a fractured skull, a broken femur and a traumatic brain injury. Her family says she survived a coma but remains nonverbal and has been diagnosed with diplegic cerebral palsy as she continues her recovery.
Beckstrom was one of two National Guard members shot near the White House in the November attack. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was also wounded and has undergone surgery. Prosecutors say the suspect, an Afghan national, faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill. He has pleaded not guilty.
Before her deployment, Beckstrom worked for a behavioral health agency assisting people at risk of psychiatric hospitalization. White House officials said the invited guests will be highlighted as the president outlines his policies on border security and public safety during the address.
