Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute to Host Panel on 40th Anniversary of Assassination Attempt on Ronald Reagan's Life

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Panel Includes 4 People at His Side That Day

"Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was growing because no matter how hard I tried to breathe it seemed I was getting less & less air. I focused on that tiled ceiling and prayed…Whatever happens now I owe my life to God and will try to serve him in every way I can." - Ronald Reagan, personal diary entry March 30, 1981

News provided by

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute

Mar 24, 2021, 09:00 ET

SIMI VALLEY, Calif., March 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 2021 marks the 40^th anniversary of the inauguration of Ronald Reagan as America's 40^th president. It's a year of re-examining his legacy, re-telling one of America's greatest stories, re-living a remarkable run as President, and introducing an icon to a new generation. This is 40 at 40; the 40^th anniversary of our 40^th President's inaugural year.

President Ronald Reagan departs the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, 1981; Photograph taken just before the assassination attempt on his life. Photo credit: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

As part of the year-long commemoration, the Reagan Foundation will be holding a series of virtual events that look at, and discuss, one of these historic anniversary dates. The first virtual event in this series commemorates the 40^th anniversary of that fateful day – March 30, 1981 – when President Reagan and three others were shot. During this virtual event you will hear from the people who were there that day, including:

Former United States Secret Service Agent Ray Shaddick, the agent who helped shove President Reagan into the car, before closing the door behind him
Former United States Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy, who was struck by one of the bullets aimed at President Reagan
Former White House Advance Staff Rick Ahearn, who helped to save White House Press Secretary James Brady's life with his quick actions that day
Former White House Speechwriter Mari (Maseng) Will, who drafted the speech the President delivered that day and was walking in front of the President when the shots rang out
The conversation will be moderated by Del Quentin Wilber, author of "Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan" and current Enterprise and Investigative Reporter at the LA Times' Washington Bureau

Please join us virtually at 4:00 p.m. pacific on March 30, 2021 as we commemorate the 40^th anniversary of the assassination attempt on President Reagan's life. This event will be streamed on our YouTube channel (YouTube.com/ReaganFoundation). Members of the public may register for the event here.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Melissa Giller
Chief Marketing Officer
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
40 Presidential Drive
Simi Valley, CA 93065
(805) 522-2977
[email protected]

SOURCE The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute