Locals honor fallen heroes at Coachella Valley Cemetery

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) - The Coachella Valley Public Cemetery District honored fallen heroes during its annual Memorial Day ceremony this morning. Veterans, families who've lost loved ones and city officials all gathered to remember the brave men and women who've fought for our country.

For veterans like Robert Lopez, raised in Coachella and having served in Vietnam, many of his friends are gone but never forgotten. 

"Still got the memories of them. I put a lot of them on the wall over there with their names, Steve Philbrook," Lopez said.

Steve Philbrook was Lopez's best friend from high school.

"Steve Philbrook came from Maine. He was a transplant to the valley. He's a 6 ft tall blond-head and wasn't used to the summer down here," Lopez said.

Philbrook and Lopez went to Vietnam together, along with other friends from Coachella Valley High School, some of whom never made it back to Coachella.

"I just remember all those friends I lost, especially the ones from high school. They were all, it was a small community back then, you know, everybody lived on a ranch. There was no towns," Lopez said.

Some parts of the war will always stay with Lopez.

Personally, I was sprayed two times with Agent Orange. I have one daughter that's got, got the effects. She's got down syndrome," Lopez said.

But on Memorial Day, Lopez focuses on the good times.

"It feels good to hang out with the guys like this, you know, because you know where they've been and you know where you've been," Lopez said.