Marine Hunter Lopez remembered in Palm Springs funeral service

Heroism marked the last moments of U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez’s life, a Riverside County lawman sheriff said Saturday, Sept. 18, astatine the outset of a memorial work honoring and thanking the fallen 22-year-old Indio native.

Three days of events to retrieve Lopez continued Saturday with a monolithic work present underway successful the Palm Spring Convention Center.

Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio was killed successful the Kabul airdrome bombing connected Aug. 26, 2021. (Courtesy photo)

The 2017 La Quinta High School postgraduate was 1 of 13 U.S. service-members killed successful an onslaught astatine the Kabul airport past period arsenic the U.S was pulling retired of Afghanistan. Two different Inland Empire Marines, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, of Norco; and Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, of Rancho Cucamonga, besides were killed.

After the 11 a.m. ceremonial ends, a procession volition caput to Riverside National Cemetery for Lopez’s backstage burial.

Lopez was portion of a peculiar situation effect squad sent to supply information and assistance State Department officials process thousands of radical a time astatine the airdrome gates. His mother, Alicia Lopez, is simply a Riverside County lawman sheriff and Riverside Sheriff’s Association committee secretary. His father, Riverside County Sheriff’s Capt. Herman Lopez, is La Quinta’s constabulary chief.

In a statement, the Lopez household said quality of their son’s decease was “the quality that nary parents wants to receive.”

“Our household is overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotion and condolences we’ve received successful the aftermath of Hunter’s abrupt passing,” the mates added. “Please cognize that Hunter wore the United States Marine azygous with emotion and pride, and it is precise evident that the assemblage volition ne'er hide his sacrifice and our family.”

Herman and Alicia Lopez besides thanked each who person donated to the Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Relief Foundation successful their son’s name, arsenic good arsenic those who person sent them bouquets of flowers and posted heartfelt messages connected societal media.

“Whether checking successful connected us, praying, making donations successful Hunter’s honor,” they added, “we volition everlastingly beryllium thankful for each of you.”

Memorial work for 22-year-old U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 1 of the 13 American servicemembers killed past period successful Kabul, Afghanistan, being held astatine 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 aft enlisting was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. He planned to articulation the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department similar his parents aft his deployment ended, according to a connection from the sheriff’s association.

The past buff loved Star Wars, often quizzing others connected the movies, a quality merchandise states.

A Thursday, Sept. 16, procession drew residents with American flags connected a way from a Cathedral City mortuary, past the Palm Desert Sheriff’s presumption and, finally, to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church successful La Quinta. A akin procession passed Friday, Sept. 17, by 3 Coachella Valley schools that Lopez erstwhile attended.

Earlier this month, Indio staged a candlelight vigil for Lopez successful beforehand of Indio City Hall.

Nikoui, the Norco Marine, was being honored Saturday greeting astatine a memorial service astatine Harvest Christian Fellowship Church successful Riverside. And Merola, the Rancho Cucamonga native, volition beryllium honored with a Tuesday, Sept. 21, procession. His memorial work is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 26.

Staff writer David Downey contributed to this report.