Funeral held for fallen FHP Master Sgt. Daniel Hinton

A funeral service was held Wednesday morning for fallen Florida Highway Patrol Master Sgt. Daniel Hinton.

Master Sgt. Hinton suffered a heart attack during a training exercise and was taken to Gulf Coast Hospital where he died on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

People from all over the state gathered to pay their respects and to say their final goodbye to Master Sgt. Hinton at the Hertz Arena.

“Dan would be so proud of how above and beyond everyone has gone for us,” said Julie Hinton, wife of Master Sgt. Hinton.

Master Sgt. Hinton and his family were honored with a 21 gun salute, a flyover, the playing of the Taps and his final call brought just about anyone to tears.

“Anytime you come here [funeral], it’s with a heavy heart and it brings tears to your eyes to be here. To know that we lost a fellow brother,” said Carmine Marceno of Lee County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff.

FHP Director Colonel Gene Spaulding challenged the troopers in the crowd to work as hard and live as honorably as Master Sgt. Hinton did in his 32 years on the force.

Master Sgt. Hinton’s sister, Joylynn Hinton, says she’d like to start a 5K or a softball tournament to honor her big brother.

The funeral took place at noon at the Hertz Arena at 11000 Everblades Parkway.

MORE: Florida Highway Patrol trooper dies after heart attack during training exercise