North Texas honors Army Pfc. Isabella Gonzales as mourners share emotional tributes

A memorial service was held Saturday for Army Pfc. Isabella Gonzales, who was killed in action. 

Bagpipes played as people gathered to honor her.

"Heroes come in various shapes and sizes. Today we honor a hero, a 19-year-old female soldier," Carrollton Mayor Steve Babick said.

Many attended to honor Gonzales.

"On July 17, 2026, she left behind a legacy of bravery that far exceeded her 19 years," her uncle, Alfredo Muniz, said.

Gonzales was killed in action during an Iranian missile attack while serving in Jordan.

"Isabella jumped to the task of going there. She knew there could be dangerous situations in that location. She didn't care," Muniz said.

"Private first-class Gonzales picked up the Army stuff pretty quickly and in no time. She shed her nervous fears, built confidence, and developed new expertise," Brig. Gen. Glenn Henke said.

Gonzales was from the Carrollton area and graduated last spring from Hebron High School.

"She intentionally invested her days with people she loved, dogs she adored, eating Tex-Mex food, singing and dancing to reggaeton," Muniz said.

She was a daughter, a sister, and a fiancée. Those who knew her described her as outgoing and spontaneous.

"Be like Isabella. Do something in life worth living for. Know that the moment you take your final breath, you left behind the world a better place than when you entered it," Muniz said.

Gonzales' funeral is at 10 a.m. Sunday at DFW National Cemetery.