Tuesday’s State of the Union: Who Connecticut is sending

WASHINGTON — Newtown resident Bridget Sclafani met U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5, at a town hall event less than two weeks ago. On Tuesday, Sclafani will join the congresswoman at the president’s State of the Union in Washington, D.C.

“This is all a big shock to me,” said Sclafani, 54. “I’m very excited.”

Sclafani lost her husband to brain cancer in 2018 and started the Paul C. Sclafani Memorial Foundation to help families with their bills while fighting cancer. The foundation has awarded scholarships and hosted a lacrosse tournament in Newtown.

On Tuesday night, Sclafani will be one of many guests attending the State of the Union with Connecticut’s congressional delegation.

President Donald Trump’s highly-anticipated address will come in the midst of his impeachment trial, one day before the Senate is expected to acquit him. The theme of the address is “The Great American Comeback," a senior administration official said.

Members of Congress are permitted to bring one guest every year to listen to the address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives. Trump will also have several invitees in the audience. Often lawmakers select a guest whose work or personal story represents an issue that the politician would like to highlight.

Here’s who else the Connecticut delegation is bringing:

Sen. Richard Blumenthal

Blumenthal will be joined by the family of the late Marine Staff Sgt. Tyler Reeb.

Reeb, who took his life in October, was a veteran who worked at the U.S. State Department. He grew up in New Canaan and attended college at Widener University before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. As a scout sniper, he lead missions in Iraq and Afghanistan before his honorable discharge in 2015.

At the State Department, he helped develop and coordinate training for protective forces leading diplomatic security efforts.

Tyler Reeb’s uncle Christopher Reeb of Weston will sit in the House gallery as Blumenthal’s guest. Other members of the Reeb family, including Tyler’s parents, Jaymie Reeb and Michael C. Reeb, will be in Washington, D.C. for the address.

“Our nation has abjectly failed to provide the care our heroes need to fight these invisible wounds mental health services to diagnose and treat them effectively,” Blumenthal said. “The loss of Tyler Reeb as well as his courage and strength, should inspire us to do better.”

Sen. Chris Murphy

Deborah Davis, an organizer with Mothers United Against Violence, will attend the State of the Union with Murphy. Davis lost her son, Phillip Samuel Davis, Jr., to gun violence in January 2010.

“I am honored to join Senator Chris Murphy at the State of the Union to shine a light on the work that Mothers United Against Violence has done over the years to strengthen and stabilize our communities, especially after they experience traumatic violence,” Davis said.

“I got involved with Mothers United Against Violence after experiencing trauma myself, and far too often after tragedy, we can fall into hopelessness. But our organization, co-founded by Mrs. Henrietta Beckman and Rev. Henry Brown, provides articles of compassion to families in the Greater Hartford area dealing with the trauma of violence by offering workshops, educational opportunities and spiritual support.”

Davis joined the Hartfordarea Mothers United Against Violence, after group counseled her following her son’s death. She helps the organization provide comfort and support the families of shooting victims.

Rep. Jim Himes

Himes, D-4, invited Gary Mendell, founder and CEO of Shatterproof, a national non-profit focused on addiction.

“Like millions of Americans, Gary’s life was forever changed when he lost his son in 2011 after a yearslong struggle with a substance use disorder,” said Himes. “Gary took that heartbreaking loss and transformed it into action.”

Mendell, a Westport resident, said he hopes he can be a voice for individuals suffering from addiction and promote investment in prevention and treatment resources.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro

Shelton resident Kristen Whitney-Daniels will attend the State of the Union with DeLauro, D-3. Whitney-Daniels, 29, has lived with diabetes for 14 years and has often struggled to afford her insulin.

She volunteers with T1International as the Connecticut #insulin4all chapter leader to advocate for lower insulin costs.

Whitney-Daniels works full-time as the assistant director of the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and part-time for their nongovernmental organization at the United Nations. She graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2013.

Rep. Joe Courtney

Courtney, D-2, will bring John Beauregard, the president and CEO of the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board. The nonprofit supports training programs with the goal of producing employees for local businesses like Electric Boat.

Rep. John Larson

Larson, D-1, is not bringing a guest this year.