TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Sean Hryc recently died from complications of COVID-19.
A funeral service honoring Hryc was held Friday at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Dunnellon.
According to ODMP, Hryc died after he contracted COVID-19 in the line of duty in Ocala.
He had been with the Florida Highway Patrol for 17 years. He was 50 years old. ODMP says he leaves behind a wife and two children.
On Wednesday, Florida Highway Patrol Training Academy posted on Facebook saying the U.S. Honor Flag arrived at the Tampa International Airport and was received by the Florida Highway Patrol Honor Guard to honor Hryc.
According to FHP, the USHF has "traveled over 7 million miles, by ground, air, and even on NASA’s last space shuttle mission to Honor America’s Heroes. 'Never forget' is their commitment to America’s Heroes."
FHP says the Honor Guard wears custom gloves while handling the flag. That's because the "U.S. Honor Flag is never handled with bare hands and never handled twice with the same pair of custom USHF gloves." The gloves are then given to surviving family members of fallen heroes.
"The Honor Network was founded on the conviction that every person who is committed in service to our communities and country deserves the support of every single American, and that an increase in American patriotism is vital in keeping our great nation united," FHP said on Facebook.
You can find more about the U.S. Honor Flag here.