In March 1981, Ronald Reagan, then serving as the President of the United States, narrowly survived an assassination attempt. While exiting the Washington Hilton Hotel, John Hinckley Jr., aged 25, fired shots at Reagan, injuring his staff and hitting Reagan himself, with a bullet lodging in his lung. Following emergency surgery for a broken rib, punctured lung, and internal bleeding, Reagan recovered.
Six years later, during a speech in West Berlin, a balloon popping, reminiscent of gunfire, startled the audience. Reagan, displaying remarkable composure, paused briefly before humorously remarking, “Missed me,” which elicited enthusiastic applause.
The incident, captured on video from 1987, recently resurfaced online, garnering millions of views. Commentators praised Reagan’s unflappable demeanor, contrasting it with contemporary political reactions.
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Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt in 1981.
6 years later, a balloon popped while he was giving a speech.
Here’s how he reacted. pic.twitter.com/3WQOMidPr3
— Jon Erlichman (@JonErlichman) July 14, 2024
The resurgence of this footage coincided with public interest following a recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump, where a shot narrowly missed him at a Pennsylvania rally, causing injuries to bystanders.
