A large crowd of people were on hand Monday afternoon to honor a fallen soldier.

An escort consisting of cruisers from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office and the Maryland State Police brought in a hearse bearing the remains of US Army Sergeant David Williams to Stauffer Funeral Home on Opposumtown Pike In Frederick.

Sergeant Williams died in Afghanistan on Saturday, August 18th.

As the hearse was making its way into the funeral home, citizens lined the roadway, waving flags. Some smaller flags were placed alongside the road, and a large flag was suspended from a crane over top of Opposumtown Pike.

Derrick Smith of Frederick, who was waving a flag, says he wanted to be there to honor a soldier who protected us. "Thank God for soldiers like him who are protecting us and protecting our country," he said.

Another citizen who came out was Julie McCutcheon of Frederick. "I think that's the least I could have done after he gave his life for all of us here," she says. "My brother is in Afghanistan serving our country, and this is the least I can do."

After the hearse was escorted into the funeral home, a US Army team of pall bearers carefully removed Williams' coffin from the vehicle and took it  inside of Stauffer's, where it will remain until his funeral.

The welcome-home event was organized by Debbie Williams with the Patty Palatos Fund. She says the Fund's work won't stop after Sergeant Williams arrives at the funeral home. In fact, volunteers will be at his casket at all times.  "We take shifts. We stay with him 24-hours, around the clock. We will not leave  him alone. We will stand in a gap for his family until he's taken to his resting place," says Williams.

Sergeant Williams' funeral is expected to take place on Wednesday.