PHOENIX - Dozens gathered for the 13th annual Sunrise Memorial Service at Piestewa Peak Park.
The moving tribute honored Army Soldier Lori Piestewa and other Arizonans who lost their lives in combat. Piestewa was killed in the line of duty back in 2003 while serving the United States in Iraq.
The peaceful ceremony took place as the sun slowly rose, Thursday morning. More than a decade later, Piestewa's father, Terry, remembers his daughter.
“It’s an honoring that we never forget, because it is so important that they aren’t forgotten," he said.
A crowd at Piestewa Peak returns to the same spot every year. Among the group is Lori's mother, Priscilla Piestewa.
“[We're] being grateful that our daughter is being honored, but that not just our daughter is being honored but all of those other fallen soldiers," she said.
They’re reflecting on the anniversary of Lori Piestewa’s death, and other Arizonans killed in service. Piestewa was a monumental part of the Hopi community.
Piestewa was the first Native American killed in the war. Now, teens who were young children when she died more than a decade ago, admire her.
Piestewa’s spirit lives on through her family and a new generation, carrying her Hopi and military legacy.