‘Day of Remembrance’: Valley memorials honor fallen heroes, Cpl. Hunter Lopez and veterans lost to suicide

Memorials across the valley Monday were remembering the men and women who gave their lives for their country.

At a service at Veteran's Park in Desert Hot Springs, retired army Cpl. Jeff Cole solemnly contemplated the cost of freedom. "To me, Memorial Day is more of a personal day," he said. "It is a day of remembrance."

Cole said the cost of war is not only counted in lives lost, but also in the hearts of millions more left behind.

"I've lost brothers in arms overseas; I've continued to lose brothers in arms since I've come home from overseas," he said. "Being over there on the frontlines with them, I know what they endured."

It isn't just heroes lost in action, Cole said, but thousands more each year who commit suicide after carrying the heavy weight of war back home.

He's now pushing for expedited benefits for families of those lost, and above all, awareness.

"People don't realize that just because the war ended, that we bring home the horrors, the images, the memories that we endured over there," Cole said. "Because of the war within, I lost Roger and Danza, and Andrew Clark this year. It's tough. I just feel that we can reach out and be there for veterans, just by letting them know they're not alone."

At American Legion Post 519 in downtown Palm Springs, veterans came together to pay respects to the 13 service members killed last August in the Kabul airport attack, including Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez of Indio.

A treasured memorial was unveiled for them, which will remain on permanent display there.

Lopez's parents and young sister attended, still overwhelmed with emotion.

"Events like this, sometimes they're a little difficult because it kind of stirs up memories," said Herman Lopez, Hunter's father. "Obviously it's still very fresh for us but... it's always comforting to be around so many veterans and people that understand not only the service but the sacrifice."