Parents of Corporal Hunter Lopez issue first public statement, express gratitude for outpouring of support
The parents of United States Marine Corps Corporal Hunter Lopez issued a statement on the death of their son.
Lopez, 22, of Indio was among 13 U.S. service members who died during the attack on a Kabul airport on Thursday.
Check Out: Tributes continue in memory of fallen Marine and Coachella Valley resident Hunter Lopez
Lopez's parents are both members of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. His father is Riverside Sheriff's Captain Herman Lopez and his mother is Riverside County Deputy Sheriff and RSA Board Secretary Alicia Lopez.
The Lopez family issued their first public comments on Hunter's passing Monday afternoon.
"Last week, we received the news that no parent wants to receive; our dear son, United States Marine Corps Corporal Hunter Lopez, was killed along with 12 others during the U.S.led evacuation effort at the Kabul airport.
Our family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and condolences we've received in the wake of Hunter's sudden passing. We want to send out a huge thank you to everyone who has donated to the Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Relief Foundation in the name of Hunter and the family, prayed, or reached out to us during one of the most challenging times in our lives. 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.
We are grateful to those who have paid tribute to Hunter by sending us bouquets of flowers, posting so many heartfelt messages on social media, or otherwise sharing in our sadness as well as the celebration of his short but incredible life. We wish we could thank all of you individually, but that would be nearly impossible, as there has been an overwhelming amount of people helping us. Whether checking on us, praying, making donations in Hunter's honor, we will forever be thankful for all of you.
So many people told us that they couldn't find the right words to express their sympathy. We, likewise, realized that there were no words to express our deep level of appreciation adequately. We have only two words for everyone: Thank You. "
- Lopez family
A spokesperson for the Riverside Sheriff's Association speaking on behalf of the Lopez family said that information on the services for Hunter are still pending.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.
