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A solemn ceremony will be held next week at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens to remember first responders in Maryland who have died in the line of duty.

​Every year, on the first Friday of May, the Fallen Heroes Day ceremony honors Maryland police officers, firefighters, EMTs and members of the public safety community, who gave their lives to protect others.

For Lynne Parry, 23 years ago seems like yesterday in many ways as she remembers the last time her husband and father of their three children, Baltimore County Detective Sgt. Mark Parry, went on patrol.

"He went out in an unmarked Crown Victoria. It wasn't 10 minutes after he left the precinct and a drunken driver T-boned into Mark," Lynne Parry told 11 News.

Mark Parry died from his injuries three weeks later. Next Friday, Lynne Parry will share her memories and story of survival as the family speaker during the 40th Fallen Heroes Day ceremony.

"I hope I give them hope, because your life is devastated. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it, but we're not alone, and I hope that message is what they will hear," Lynne Parry told 11 News.

Nine first responders will be honored this year at Dulaney, where 81 heroes are buried. Among those to be honored this year is Agent Davis Martinez , who is Maryland's first probation and parole officer to be killed in the line of duty. He was killed last year while conducting a home visit for a convicted sex offender in Chevy Chase.

Lynne Parry said the ceremony is an important way to remember their loved ones' sacrifices.

"They do their job because they want to keep us safe. They don't want their sacrifice forgotten."

"They do their job because they love it. They do their job because they want to keep us safe. They don't want their sacrifice forgotten. But they, most importantly, want just the respect of the profession given to them and not ever forgotten," Lynne Parry told 11 News.

After next Friday's event, Fallen Heroes Day will have honored 234 first responders.