Bay Area fallen hero's legacy lives on in his hometown

Community remembers hero this Memorial Day

Twelve years after Spc. Zachary L. Shannon was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom, his hometown of Dunedin is making sure he’s not forgotten. FOX 13’s Jennifer Epstein reports.

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Kimberly Allison raised four brave boys. Each one proudly served their country in the military – but her youngest, Spc. Zachary L. Shannon, never made it home.

What they're saying:

"We have a military wall. So I see his face every day. I live it every minute of every day," said Zachary's mom, Kimberly.

A military wall honors Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.

She also keeps him close to her heart.

"I wear his dog tag, I have his bracelets on, I have the necklace he gave me that says army mom. I talk to him all the time and I know I'll see him again," said Kimberly.

Zachary wasn't home long after a 12-month deployment in Korea, when he volunteered to go to Afghanistan.

Pictured: Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.

"He said, 'I want to go because then a soldier with a family gets to go home,' So he was home for 3 months. Then he deployed on December 14, 2012, in Afghanistan," said Kimberly.

Three months later, on March 11, 2013, Zachary's helicopter crashed, killing him and four other service members in Operation Enduring Freedom.

"I think if I knew he was scared it would have hurt even worse. He was not scared; it was where he wanted to be," said Kimberly. "He knew he had a job to do and he'd be home as soon as he's done."

Pictured: Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.

His hometown of Dunedin, where he chose to be laid to rest. It's where he played little league baseball, on a field now named after him. A portion of Alternate 19 also bears his name. So does the local VFW, now known as "SPC Zachary Shannon Memorial Post 2550."

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A Little League Baseball field in Dunedin bears the name of Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.

"A lot of people don't know who Zack is and what he stands for: freedom and free," said Kelly McKinley, VFW Auxillary Patriotic Instructor.

Twelve years after his death, the community continues to keep his memory alive. Throughout the month of May, a display at the local library reminds people of the hero who called Dunedin home.