Local Marines honored at ‘Hometown Hero’ football game in La Quinta
Another touching tribute was held for two local Marines involved in the August terror attack at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan.
Under the Friday night lights on the football field at La Quinta High School, the Blackhawks played against the Shadow Hills Knights in honor of two hometown heroes: Coachella Valley natives Corporal Hunter Lopez and Lance Corporal Salvadore Lule.
Lopez was killed in the bombing; Lule was injured and is still recovering at a hospital in the San Diego area.
Both were La Quinta High School graduates just a few years apart.
Before kickoff, La Quinta players stormed the field, American flags in hand. The color guard cadets in uniform paid their respects, too.
"It's kind of surreal for us," Amanda Kay said. "We’re actually doing something; we’re paying our respects, as we want to."
"Not only are we honor guard, but (Lopez) went here, so it means a lot more," Tyson Wilhelm said.
"Since the passing of Cpl. Hunter Lopez, it has brought the entire school to a different level of connection," Jazmin Vieyre said.
A scheduled Palm Springs Air Museum flyover above the game was grounded and canceled – unable to take off as Vice President Kamala Harris arrived for the night in Palm Springs.
At halftime, a slideshow was presented in honor of the two Marines.
Parents Herman and Alicia Lopez attended, as well as Hunter's two siblings. Lule's father Francisco was there, too.
And on each side of the field, fans dressed in Marine Corps yellow – even in the spirit of competition, united in tribute.
"Both schools wanted to come together and provide an opportunity to celebrate the heroism and more importantly to bring communities together like this," said Shadow Hills High School principal Gabriel Fajardo.
"It's just cool that we’re all coming together as a community even though we’re rivals on the field," SHHS senior Carla Hyatt said.
"Even regardless of competitive differences, we all come together to share the one cause that we’re all united especially with our Marines," SHHS senior Valeria Gutierrez said.
Finally, LQHS teacher Kevin Schmidt gave a rousing speech – he knew both Marines personally.
"Your service and your sacrifice will never be forgotten," Schmidt said to a roaring crowd. "Godspeed, Marines. Godspeed."
