Thousands of people, including representatives from law enforcement agencies across Florida, came together Thursday for the joint funeral of two Kissimmee Police officers shot and killed last week in the line of duty.

The mourners at First Baptist of Orlando honored Officer Matthew Baxter and Sgt. Sam Howard as heroes.

Kissimmee Police Chief Jeff O'Dell said the two men died protecting a woman, and during a follow-up investigation she told them that, without question, the two men were responsible for saving her life.

Following the service, both officers were to be laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park.

Officer Matthew Baxter and Sgt. Sam Howard were both shot Friday night while responding to a shots-fired call in the northern area of Kissimmee. Baxter was pronounced dead Friday night, while Howard died of his injuries Saturday.

Baxter's wife Sadia, a detective for KPD, talked about how they met on the job. In their first case together they helped save the life of an individual while on the scene of an attempted suicide. Sadia Baxter read some words from his journal.

"He stated, 'I want to be remembered for good deeds, helping and loving others. One who loved his beautiful wife, children and Jesus,'" Sadia Baxter said.

A fellow KPD brother, Michael Bixler, said Baxter would always lift his spirits. During trying times as a policeman, he said Baxter went as far as gifting him a statue of a police officer holding the hand of a small child, as a reminder of what they're job is truly about.

"And he said, 'Buddy, that is to remind you why you got into this job. Let's go help somebody,'" Bixler said.

Howard's sibling, Jeffrey Surran, said the last piece of advice he got from from his brother was to do whatever it takes to be happy.

"Sometimes it's tough to put into words how you feel about someone,” Surran said. “I know you are looking down on this crowd and know the impact you had on everyone here. Words may not describe it but your legacy and these people do."

Howard's friends described him as a gentle giant who gave his all for his country and came back home to do the same for Kissimmee.

"He was a great man. He would always help you anytime you needed it,” friend Kris Sheets said. “He was always looking out for you."

Sheets hopes to one day see Howard smiling from the gates of heaven.

Anyone wishing to donate to the families can go to any SunTrust Bank and make a donation to the account set up for Baxter and Howard. There is no formal GoFundMe account set up for the families.

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12:48 p.m.

Sgt. Sam Howard's brother speaks briefly, saying that he shared a close bond with his sibling.

"Sometimes, it's tough to put into words how you feel about someone. I know you're looking down at this crowd and know the impact that you had on everyone here. Words may not describe it, but your impact and legacy do."

12:25 p.m.

Sadia Baxter, the wife of Officer Matthew Baxter, speaks during Thursday's memorial service. Sadia is a detective with the Kissimmee Police Department.

"Today, I come before you as a proud wife," she said. "This week has been the hardest week of my life. Words cannot express how my world has crashed. With Matthew and I both serving as law enforcement officers, we understood the dangers that the career holds, but I never imagined this happening to my family."

12:03 p.m.

Officer Matthew Baxter's siblings thank everyone for their support and speak about their beloved brother.

"I am beyond words — beyond words. ... I have so many memories with him — from watching him wake up in the morning, and the first thing that he did was he took his girls and he was the best father I have ever seen. There is no comparison to the type of man and father that he was."

11:42 a.m.

Kissimmee Police Chief Jeff O'Dell says that "men and women in law enforcement are not expendable." 

"Men and women in law enforcement do not consider anybody in their communities expendable as evidenced by the heroic efforts of these two men. So my challenge to you is that you have the guts to look into the eyes of these family members until you understand their sorrow and heartbreak. I ask you to have the guts to look into the eyes of these children until you comprehend that they will grow up without their dad."

11:30 a.m.

Kissimmee Police Chief Jeff O'Dell speaks for several minutes, talking about the characteristics that made Sgt. Sam Howard and Officer Matthew Baxter great police officers and even better people.

"I would consider Sam and Matthew the epitome of what I call a true law enforcement professional and what that stands for. To start, they both displayed great pride in their uniform presence, and they always looked sharp."

O'Dell said Howard and Baxter were working to protect a woman when they were shot.

"These two men truly cared about people, and I'm not sure there's a greater compliment I can give either," O'Dell said.

11:15 a.m.

The joint funeral services begin at First Baptist Orlando.

10:50 a.m.

People enter First Baptist Orlando ahead of the joint funeral. Here are the handouts inside the church:

9 a.m.

The procession for the two officers makes its way from Kissimmee to Orlando, arriving at First Baptist Orlando at about 9 a.m.

8:45 a.m.

Capt. Jeff Tambasco and Sgt. Ian Downing reflect on their friendships and memories — both professionally and personally — of Officer Matthew Baxter and Sgt. Sam Howard.