Anniversary Remembrance Events Held for 13 Fallen Service Members

Today marks one year since the a suicide bomber killed 13 servicemembers. At the time, 22-year-old Cpl. Hunter Lopez was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines with the U.S. Marine Corps, and died during a suicide bombing at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan during the U.S. lead evacuation effort. Along with the Marines, a U.S. Navy corpsman and a U.S. Army soldier were killed, while nearly 100 civilians were killed or injured in the blast. In honor of his and the other 12 service members who passed there are several events happening in Riverside County. Friday, August 26: My Thai restaurant in La Quinta will donate 15% of their proceeds to the Hunter Lopez Memorial Foundation between 10 a. m- 11 p.m. The Cities of La Quinta and Indio will host a candle light vigil at the La Quinta Civic Center Campus from 7 – 8 p.m. The Fallen 13 Memorial will host a candle light vigil in Norco at the Fallen 13 Memorial Flower Garden at 8 p.m. Saturday, August 27: Say Their Names Cruise will meet at 2 p.m. at the San Clemente Outlets and start at 3 p.m. and end at the Norco Country Center around 5 p.m. They will then head to Lcpl. Kareem Nikoui’s resting site. The Hunter Lopez Memorial Foundation raises money for marines, families and veterans. For more information visit HunterLopezMemorial.org.