U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Selma, announced that Tiphanie Carter, the wife of fallen Birmingham Police Department Sgt. Wytasha Carter, will be her guest at the 2019 State of the Union address.
President Donald Trump will address both houses of Congress and the nation in the 2019 State of the Union address.
The speech will be delivered in the House of Representatives chamber at 8:00 p.m.
“This State of the Union I am honored to pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifices of our law enforcement officers,” Sewell said. “Sergeant Wytasha Carter was the kind of man that we all hope our sons grow up to be: a devoted and passionate father, husband, co-worker and member of the Birmingham community. His service truly represents the best of Alabama’s 7th District.”
“I’m honored his wife Mrs. Tiphanie Carter will join me at the State of the Union,” Sewell said. “My congressional colleagues need to hear her story and act to prevent the senseless gun violence afflicting our communities.”
“I am blessed to be chosen to represent Alabama’s 7th District at the State of the Union,” Mrs. Carter said. “I am humbled by Representative Terri Sewell for honoring my husband Sergeant Wytasha Carter and his sacrifice to his community and law enforcement. This honoring provides comfort to our family in knowing his life’s work, service and sacrifice were not in vain. Thank you, Representative Sewell, for being a voice not only for my husband, but for the entire law enforcement family.”
During the early morning of Jan. 13, 2019, Carter was killed by a gunshot wound while working to protect the Birmingham community.
Carter was raised in Birmingham and graduated from Phillips High School. After graduating from college, he served in the United States Air Force before beginning his law enforcement career in 2002 as a correctional officer with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. Carter served with the Birmingham Police Department for nearly eight years and was promoted to sergeant last year. He met Tiphanie, his wife of 21 years, while in the military.
Carter and Tiphanie have two children: Dashae (24) and Taelen (15).
Sewell previously honored Carter on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
You can watch Sewell’s speech honoring Carter here:
A week after Carter died from gunshot wounds, Mobile Police Officer Sean Tuder was shot and killed.
Sewell represents Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District.
