Hundreds attended a memorial service Friday for fallen Dallas Police Officer Michael Krol.
Krol, 40, was among five officers killed July 7 when a gunman opened fire in downtown Dallas following a protest rally and march.
Several of Krol's closest friends are fellow Dallas police officers who served alongside him in the Southwest Division.
They say they'll never forget the big man with the big heart.
"I'm thinking that I want to see their faces one more time. I want to have lunch with them one more time," said Sr. Cpl. Ruben Lozano. "I want to hear them laugh, one more time."
Lozano served in the prestigious Southwest Division Foxtrot unit with Krol, and they often rode together on assignments.
During the protest, Lozano was off but Krol was at work.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
By the time Lozano's supervisor told him to rush to work, his close friend was already dead.
"He said, 'Krol and (Officer Patrick) Zamarripa are gone. Maybe even more. And I remember throwing this bottle of water I had down on the ground," Lozano recounted. "I was in a state of disbelief that I was not going to see these guys again. And I went in, and he said we still got a job to do. And I went out there and I did my job. It's been hard."
"I've had a lot of sleepless nights. I've cried more times in the last few days than I have in a long time," Lozano added.
At six-feet, four-inches tall, Krol towered above most people. He was a big guy, but Lozano said he worked hard to come across as friendly, approachable and trustworthy.
"I would want everyone to know that despite his size, Krol was a genuine man. He had a big heart, and he respected everyone we came in contact with," Lozano said. "He was just a genuine person, and that's what I'll remember most about him."
Lozano lost three friends, brothers-in-blue. There are still more funerals ahead.
"Just to know that I won't see the faces of (Sr. Cpl. Lorne) Ahrens, Zamarripa and Krol again in my unit is hard. It's been hard," Lozano said. "I still haven't grasped the concept that three of my best friends are gone."
But Lozano said he'll never forget Michael Krol, and he'll always remember his easy-going demeanor and big smile.
"That's one of the things I'll miss most bout him. His laugh. His laugh was just contagious," he said.
