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Hundreds line streets to honor fallen State Trooper Nick Hopkins, funeral arrangements set

Hopkins' funeral is scheduled for this weekend at Waterloo High School.

WATERLOO, Ill. — Hundreds of people lined the streets of Waterloo Monday afternoon honoring the life of fallen Illinois State Trooper Nick Hopkins. 

The procession started in downtown and made its way down Interstate 55, 270 and Route 3 ending in Hopkins hometown. 

Mike and Anne said it was a really touching moment Monday afternoon with the streets filled with people with heavy hearts honoring the 33-year-old trooper.

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Many people were saluting, holding their hands over their hearts and waving flags, showing their support for Hopkins and his family. 

Whether you knew him well.

"Nick was just a great guy," said Waterloo Mayor and retired State Trooper Tom Smith.

Or barely knew him at all.

"I don't think there's any words to describe this when a community comes together like this after tragic stuff happens," said Ralph Axe

No words to describe this, but plenty of words to describe State Trooper Nick Hopkins.

"Always wanting to help people, in fact, I just talked to a guy who came to check out the memorial yesterday and he was talking about how Nick just helped him put up a fence," said Smith.

When talking about trooper Hopkins, there's one word that stands out.

"Kindness," said Smith.

That word Kindness, it's something a whole community showed Monday afternoon.

"That's why in memory of Nick go out and do a good deed for somebody, for a complete stranger. We've got to start having kindness for each other, there's too much hate in this world right now," added Smith.

This kind of kindness isn't something anyone here wanted to show, they needed to.

"He'll be remembered for as long as I can remember, and this town will remember we won't forget what happened here," added Axe.

A whole community showing what so many others saw in Nick, kindness.

"Think about doing an act of kindness, Nick would want that, his dad would want that, his wife would want that," explained Smith.

Hopkins' funeral arrangements are as follows:

  • Visitation — Saturday, August 31, 2019, 3:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    Waterloo High School
    505 East Bulldog, Waterloo, IL 62298
    First Responder and Military walk-through will begin at 6:00 p.m.
  • Funeral — Sunday, September 1, 2019, at 10:00 A.M.
    Waterloo High School
    505 East Bulldog, Waterloo, IL 62298
  • Interment services are still being finalized

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