Twenty years after he was brutally killed in Wyoming, Matthew Shepard will be laid to rest.
His ashes will be interred at the Washington National Cathedral following a service Friday morning.
On Oct. 7, 1998, 21-year-old Shepard was attacked, tied to a fence and left for dead by two men who targeted him because he was gay. He died six days later at a hospital.
Shepard's death almost immediately became a national symbol for LGBTQ rights. His parents were afraid that if they chose a final resting place for their son, it would be vandalized. But they ultimately settled on the cathedral as Shepard's "final home."
The Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop will help preside over Friday's ceremony.
Shepard will join almost 200 others who've been interred at the cathedral, including presidents, military leaders and national heroes.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
