Corcorans to join Burchett, Blackburn for State of the Union address

A previous version of this report mis-stated the status of charges against Francisco Eduardo Franco-Cambrany. It has been corrected.

The family of Pierce Corcoran has been invited to attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 5, alongside Tennessee lawmakers.

The office of U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., announced Thursday that Corcoran's father and mother, Knoxville Fire Department Capt. D.J. Corcoran and Wendy Corcoran, were invited to attend the address as guests of the senator and Congressman Tim Burchett. The invitation followed the December death of their 22-year-old son in a head-on collision with Francisco Eduardo Franco-Cambrany, 44, on Chapman Highway.

Judge Patricia Long sent Franco-Cambrany's case to a grand jury and granted him bond on Friday.

Franco-Cambrany, an undocumented immigrant, has been the subject of fierce debate over immigration. His lawyer says he came to America to earn money to help his cancer-stricken father-in-law.

In the weeks since Pierce Corcoran's death, his family has been in touch with lawmakers in the nation's capital advocating for immigration reform and bringing awareness to his death.

Barley update:The Corcoran's giant pet rabbit Barley visits the News Sentinel newsroom

D.J. Corcoran said on Thursday he was offered the chance to attend the address with Blackburn, but that she could only take one guest. He said he got in touch with Burchett's chief of staff, Michael Grider, and that Burchett's wife, Kelly, gave up her seat so that D.J. and Wendy both could attend Tuesday's address.

"With this, this Tuesday, I don't know what to say about it," D.J. Corcoran said. "We're going open-minded, open-eyed to look and see what happens and to see what Pierce and God have in store for us."

"We feel like there's a reason that we're going. We don't know it yet, but we'll find out."

Corcoran said he was planning to watch it but is glad he and his wife will be able to attend.

Connecting the dots

In the aftermath of Pierce's death, D.J. Corcoran said there have been a lot of dots that have been connected and doors to finding peace that have been opened for the family.

"A week ago, we were at an event that we were invited to, but didn't know what we were going to do there or why we were going, and we ran into the ER physician that was working when Pierce came in, and we both teared up," D.J. Corcoran said. "I said, 'I didn't know why I came here today, but now I do. I'm supposed to talk with you.' It gave a little bit of closure for that in particular."

D.J. and Wendy Corcoran were joined by their daughter Avery Pressley while in Washington, D.C., earlier in the month when they met with Burchett and Blackburn while with the Angel Families organization.

D.J. Corcoran said they were warmly welcomed by the pair, as well as other lawmakers, but that Democratic leadership didn't make time to see them.

"We tried to meet with (Speaker of the House Nancy) Pelosi and (Senate Minority Leader Chuck) Schumer, but they wouldn't even give us the time of day," he said. "I give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they were busy, but all the other people were receptive and were able to see us. And for me, you can slam the door in my face, I don't care. But out of respect for my son, please. That hurt."

Lawmakers' statements

Blackburn and Burchett said in a release that they were honored to have the Corcorans attend the event as their guests.

“The tragedy the Corcoran family has endured is one no family should ever have to experience,” Blackburn said. “The attendance of Pierce’s parents at the State of the Union serves as a reminder that we as a Congress have a duty to keep the American people safe. It is an honor to attend with Captain Corcoran.”

“My wife gladly gave up her spot for the Corcorans, and I’m honored to have them in attendance at the State of the Union,” Burchett said. “I have been friends with their family for years, and I can’t imagine how difficult it was losing Pierce. Congress has to get to work on stronger laws and increased border security so tragedies like this might be prevented in the future.”

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