People gathered in front of the Utah State Capitol Sunday night for a vigil for fallen Marine Corps staff sergeant Taylor Hoover. Photo Credit: Shafkat Anowar, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — Family and friends of Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover gathered in front of the Utah State Capitol for a vigil for the fallen soldier.
The event was also attended by a large number of supporters, with American flags. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox attended and spoke at the event. All of Utah’s Congressional delegation, along with Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes were also in attendance.
Cox said Hoover is one of 28 soldiers from Utah to die since the war on terror began 20 years ago.
“We won’t know how many lives they saved,” Cox said in his remarks. “But we will forever be grateful for (them).”
Some of Hoover’s family members spoke at the vigil. They shared memories while holding back tears.
Hoover was one of 13 U.S. military members killed last Thursday in an attack by a suicide bomber at the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan.
Hoover’s body was returned to the United States on Sunday morning arriving at Dover Air Force. His family was there to welcome it home. The Hoover family then traveled back to Utah Sunday night in time for the vigil that got under way around 9 p.m.
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