STEWARTVILLE, Minn.- It's not how police officers died that made them heroes, it's how they lived.

"He was a pretty awesome guy."

"Oh he was a great guy, he was a lot of fun, he was a jokester, he was hardworking."

These are just a few ways to describe Officer Jason Meyer who died in the line of duty on Labor Day in 1999. On Monday night at the Pizza Ranch in Stewartville, dozens of community members gathered to honor Officer Meyer and raise funds for the soon to be built Law Enforcement Memorial. Officer Meyer's mother says while her son is in her heart every day, the memorial will be a special place to visit with him.

 "It means a place for me to go and remember and sit and reflect and honor. to see Jason's name on the wall, knowing that people will know what he gave."

Sheriff Kevin Torgerson with the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office tells KIMT they hope to have a visual of what exactly the memorial will look like by the end of the month.

Click here for more information on the memorial.