Parents of fallen Marine Corporal Hunter Lopez speak on post office dedication honoring their son
Peter Daut
LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – A dedication ceremony is being held on Wednesday in La Quinta for the new Corporal Hunter Lopez Memorial Post Office Building.
The Coachella Valley native was one of 13 servicemembers killed in the 2021 attack at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan.
News Channel 3’s Peter Daut spoke with Hunter’s parents, Herman and Alicia Lopez, on Tuesday about how their son is being remembered.
After the post office designation was signed into law back in 2022, local leaders will be joining the Lopez family Wednesday for the unveiling of the plaque to honor his heroic service and sacrifice. The ceremony will be at 10:00 a.m. at the USPS facility located on Corporate Center Drive in La Quinta.
As Peter Daut reported several years ago in an in-depth exclusive with the family, just moments before his death, Lopez saved the lives of two children – only part of his efforts that contributed to the largest airlift in history in which more than 120,000 people were evacuated to safety.
Lopez’s family say they continue to be comforted by the outpouring of support from the community. Meanwhile, the Hunter Lopez Memorial Foundation continues to raise money to help those who protect and serve our country. Several scholarships were recently awarded to local students.