Marine Hunter Lopez remembered in Palm Springs funeral service
Heroism marked the final moments of U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez’s life, a Riverside County deputy sheriff said Saturday, Sept. 18, at the outset of a memorial service honoring and thanking the fallen 22-year-old Indio native.
Three days of events to remember Lopez continued Saturday with a massive service now underway in the Palm Spring Convention Center.
The 2017 La Quinta High School graduate was one of 13 U.S. service-members killed in an attack at the Kabul airport last month as the U.S was pulling out of Afghanistan. Two other Inland Empire Marines, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, of Norco; and Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, of Rancho Cucamonga, also were killed.
After the 11 a.m. ceremony ends, a procession will head to Riverside National Cemetery for Lopez’s private burial.
Lopez was part of a special crisis response team sent to provide security and help State Department officials process thousands of people a day at the airport gates. His mother, Alicia Lopez, is a Riverside County deputy sheriff and Riverside Sheriff’s Association board secretary. His father, Riverside County Sheriff’s Capt. Herman Lopez, is La Quinta’s police chief.
In a statement, the Lopez family said news of their son’s death was “the news that no parents wants to receive.”
“Our family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and condolences we’ve received in the wake of Hunter’s sudden passing,” the couple added. “Please know that Hunter wore the United States Marine uniform with love and pride, and it is very apparent that the community will never forget his sacrifice and our family.”
Herman and Alicia Lopez also thanked all who have donated to the Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Relief Foundation in their son’s name, as well as those who have sent them bouquets of flowers and posted heartfelt messages on social media.
“Whether checking in on us, praying, making donations in Hunter’s honor,” they added, “we will forever be thankful for all of you.”
Memorial service for 22-year-old U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez, one of the 13 American servicemembers killed last month in Kabul, Afghanistan, being held at the Palm Springs Convention Center. pic.twitter.com/2NGGos8ags
— TERRY PIERSON (@Fotogodterry) September 18, 2021
Hunter Lopez was a sheriff’s explorer scout with the Palm Desert Station and after enlisting was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. He planned to join the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department like his parents after his deployment ended, according to a statement from the sheriff’s association.
The history buff loved Star Wars, often quizzing others on the movies, a news release states.
A Thursday, Sept. 16, procession drew residents with American flags on a route from a Cathedral City mortuary, past the Palm Desert Sheriff’s station and, finally, to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in La Quinta. A similar procession passed Friday, Sept. 17, by three Coachella Valley schools that Lopez once attended.
Earlier this month, Indio staged a candlelight vigil for Lopez in front of Indio City Hall.
Nikoui, the Norco Marine, was being honored Saturday morning at a memorial service at Harvest Christian Fellowship Church in Riverside. And Merola, the Rancho Cucamonga native, will be honored with a Tuesday, Sept. 21, procession. His memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 26.
Staff writer David Downey contributed to this report.
This post first appeared on ocregister.com
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