SPOKANE-- A Spokane soldier killed in Afghanistan was laid to rest Monday with full military honors.
40-year-old Chief Warrant Officer Niall Lyons died when his helicopter crashed, killing six other soldiers.
Lyons grew up in Spokane and went to college at Eastern Washington University.
At Monday’s funeral, a large crowd of family and friends, along with a special group of strangers, gathered in Northwest Spokane to pay their final respects.
Larry Griffith from the Washington State Patriot Guard says his group was privileged to have received an invitation from the family to attend.
He says its an honor to be in the presence of someone who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country. Griffith says it was important to let Lyons’ family know his service and sacrifice is appreciated.
Lyons served as a combat veteran with two deployments, one in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the other in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The procession from St. Antony’s Parish to Holy Cross Cemetery stretched for blocks. Next to the church, students at Trinity Catholic Church stood on the steps holding two American flags.
According to the Department of Defense, Lyons volunteered for Army service 15 years ago. He graduated from flight school, served as a tactical operations officer, and more recently, as an instructor pilot. Not a lot of details have been released about the helicopter crash.
At Holy Cross, the flag draped over Lyons casket was presented to his parents. Lyons is survived by his son, parents, brother, and sisters.
