DENVER (KDVR) – The Denver Sheriff Department honored two fallen deputies on Tuesday, James Herrera and Daniel “Duke” Trujillo, who both died in 2021 in the line of duty.

Denver Sheriff deputies James Herrera and Daniel “Duke” Trujillo were both on duty at the same location when they were exposed to COVID-19. They both caught the virus and died of related complications.

On Tuesday, their names were added to the roll call at the annual fallen officers memorial.

Since Denver Deputy Sheriff Edward Baird was killed in a train wreck in 1906 while transporting a prisoner, the Denver Sheriff Department recognizes the ultimate sacrifice the previous five deputies made.

On Tuesday, the families of Herrera and Trujillo remembered their fallen loved ones.

“He’s just the guy who lived the moment. Like he loved fishing more than anything, he loved flyfishing, we would go up to Spinney all the time,” James Herrera’s son Andrew said. “Gambling, we would go up to the casinos, and some people would be like ‘I don’t like gambling it’s too risky.’ But he had a routine down with the machines.”

Daniel “Duke” Trujillo followed in the footsteps of his parents.

“I was a correctional nurse and administrator and my husband was a corrections officer so he felt the calling to serve as well. So he liked to joke around with his coworkers, he loves doing what he did,” Daniel’s mother, Renee, said.

After Deputy Herrera passed away, his grandson was born. However, Andrew said he feels that there is a connection between his father and his son.