The parents of Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez, one of 13 service members killed in a bombing at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, said Monday they were “overwhelmed” at the show of support they’ve received following his death.
Riverside County sheriff’s Deputy Alicia Lopez and sheriff’s Capt. Herman Lopez said they wanted to express their thanks to the community “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,” they said in a statement. “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,” they said. “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, a 22-year-old Indio resident, was one of 13 service members who were killed Thursday in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport amid the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.
According to the Riverside Sheriff’s Association, Hunter Lopez was a Riverside County sheriff’s Explorer Scout with the Palm Desert Station from September 2014 to August 2017, and he planned to become a sheriff’s deputy upon his return from Afghanistan.
Lopez was one of two Riverside County residents killed in the Kabul bombing. Kareem Mae’Lee Grant Nikoui, 20, a Marine lance corporal from Norco, also died in the attack.