Fort Worth city leaders unveiled the Hank Nava Jr. Memorial Highway sign on Monday, honoring the life, service, and legacy of the police officer’s impact on the community and law enforcement. Fort Worth police officer Henry “Hank” Nava Jr. was shot and killed in 2005 while serving a warrant on a parole violator. The highway sign is on Northwest Loop 820, east of the Marine Creek Parkway exit ramp, in the grassy area adjacent to the freeway. City leaders and Nava’s family gathered at the spot for an unveiling ceremony. Teresa Nava-Salazar, Hank Nava’s widow, said the recognition for her late husband was the culmination of decades of work. “Twenty one years ago, I promised everyone that Hank’s name would not be forgotten,” Nava-Salazar said. “Hank deserves to be remembered. He is our legacy, as well as Fort Worth’s legacy. This memorial highway sign is another permanent reminder of him. Would he like all this attention? Probably not, but as long as I’m alive, his name will not be forgotten. Thank you to all who came today for this very special day.” Fort Worth Councilmember Charles Lauersdorf said the sign was a long time coming and that it honors Nava’s legacy. “A lot of people came together to make today happen, but it wouldn’t have happened without y’all’s fierce advocacy reminding us of what today really means. So thank you. Please accept our apology for this taking entirely way too long,” said Lauersdorf. “It honors the Nava Family and what Hank stood for, and it’s not taking the path of least resistance. It’s running towards the chaos, not from the chaos. It’s leaving family behind, which is not the easy thing to do.” Lauersdorf added. “The sign honors a legacy. It honors everything that your family stood for. And quite frankly, it tells the thousands and millions of drivers that are gonna be driving through Fort Worth that this is a city that cares about its officers and its fallen officers and the sacrifices that we ask them to make and that some do.” Police Chief Eddie Garcia spoke about what it means to him. “Thousands of people will pass the stretch of highway. Many may not know Hank’s story. But they will see his name. We hope it encourages them to pause, if only for a moment, and remember that our freedom, safety, and protection are secured through courage and selflessness from people like Hank,” Garcia said. Loved ones were also on hand for the event. Henry ‘Hank’ Nava Henry “Hank” Nava was fatally shot when he tried to arrest Stephen Herd on a parole violation at his mobile home on Nov. 29, 2005. Herd emerged from a bedroom with a 9 mm pistol and shot Nava in the head. Nava died two days after the shooting. His patrol car, which was signed by friends and loved ones after his death, is now on permanent display inside the Fort Worth police headquarters. In 2007, Herd was sentenced to life in prison for Nava’s murder. He died in 2021. In 2011, Nava’s 10-year-old son changed his name to Henry Nava III to honor his slain father. Last year, family and friends gathered for a vigil in his honor and his family continues to hold an annual blood drive in his honor. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less