Reported by: Bill Price
Photographed by: 9News
It was "standing room only" at the Cathedral Basilica in Covington Wednesday.
People paid their respects to a Dayton, Ky. soldier killed in Afghanistan more than a week ago.
Church bells could be heard every 10-seconds, as the coffin containing the body of Army Staff Sergeant Nicholas Carnes was wheeled into the huge cathedral.
After several American flags were placed on the 25-year old's casket, and Covington Bishop Roger Foys spoke, the huge crowd stood up to join the church choir to sing "God Bless America."
Carnes was killed when he was hit during a gunfight while on patrol in Afghanistan.
An Army major took time to read Staff Sgt. Carnes' own words – words he recently wrote in a letter home to his wife Terri.
"If the other soldiers who came before me did not stand up,... for freedom; then you would not have freedom. So I feel I am obligated to stand as well."
After the service, the procession then winded through Covington and Newport to an Alexandria cemetery.
That's where bagpipes were played as Staff Sgt. Carnes' coffin was taken out of the hearse.
The fallen officer received a 21-gun salute as his mother, Wray Jean Carnes, and his wife, Terri Bernstein Carnes, were given folded American flags that had previously draped Nicholas' coffin.
A bugler played taps, then three large Army helicopters flew over the graveside and mourners below in formation to honor the young officer's service to his country.
In the program handed out to mourners at Carnes' funeral service, his family thanked everyone for their support during a very difficult time.
The family called Carnes a wonderful husband, son, brother, uncle, friend and soldier.
They said, " He will be deeply missed. He is our hero."
A reception followed aboard the BB Riverboats' "Belle of Cincinnati," where Carnes met his wife-to-be Terri, and had served as riverboat captain before he deployment to Afghanistan.
