CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Family, colleagues and law enforcement from around Texas said their final goodbyes to fallen Corpus Christi Police Officer Alan McCollum.
Officer McCollum died in the line of duty on Jan. 31 while working a routine traffic stop on SPID.
McCollum was on the Corpus Christi police force for seven years.
He also served in the U.S. Army for 21 years and was a highly decorated veteran.
It was an emotional scene as family, friends and McCollum's brothers and sisters in blue made their way from the church to say their goodbyes.
We were able to speak to Officer McCollum's daughters who say their dad will always be with them.
"I'll just sit down and think about the night that somebody told me about it and i just relive that night and it's terrible." Liliana McCollum said. "It's a very tragic thing what happened to my father but he lives in our hearts and I know he's here spiritually."
"I just want everyone to know how humble he was and how loving he was." Hannah Weegmann said. "And like Lili said, it didn't matter the day or the time, he always had that little smirk. He just made everything better."
Honor guards in full regalia, police departments, sheriffs offices and fire departments traveled hours across Texas to honor McCollum.
"It was important for me because I retired from the Army also. He's my brother." Rodney Wilk, with the Cedar Park Police Department said. "He was my brother before. He was my brother as a police officer. And his family, they're my family also."
"It's a thin blue line that we hold. " Don Holland, with the Round Rock Police Department said. "We consider ourselves family."