Dozens of veterans, families, and neighbors gathered at the Caldwell Veterans Memorial Hall for the unveiling of a statue honoring Corporal Carrie Lee French, a Caldwell native who was killed in 2005 and became the first female Idahoan to die in combat.The tribute was made possible through months of fundraising and community support.WATCH: Statue honoring the late Corporal Carrie Lee French revealed at Caldwell Veterans Memorial Hall Cpl. Carrie Lee French honored with new statueSara Gillman said the moment was one her family had been waiting years to see."Carrie grew up here, she was born here, we wanted her here," said Gillman.RELATED | 'Its an honor': Father and son veterans prepare for Honor Flight Boise tripGillman reflected on the significance of seeing so many people come together to honor French."It's amazing, and it's so beautiful to have all the other gold star families here. We are always happy to have everybody around and to see how many people loved Carrie," Gillman added.Leaders at the Veterans Memorial Hall said the statue is just one of many tributes they hope to bring to life as they continue working to preserve and share the stories of local heroes.For Canyon County happenings, news, and more join our Facebook Group: 2C Neighborhood News - Nampa, Caldwell, MiddletonThis story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less