A vigil was held in Bridgeport on Sunday for a local resident who spent most of her life in the military, but always found time for family.

Tiffany Mellers, 46, was an Army veteran and active-duty reservist. She fought hard against uterine cancer, but lost the battle.

Jaysa Mellers, her 15-year-old daughter, says her mother's legacy was her love for her family, which reflected in everything she did. "My mom was always like a driving force in my life," says Jaysa.

Jaysa says her mother insisted on buying a puppy in December so she and her sister could hold a living symbol of their mother's love during the difficult time.

"She said that after I'm gone, I want you to keep on doing what you're doing. I want to live on through you," she says.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal attended the vigil. He says, "Tiffany will always, always be a hero in our hearts and in the minds and memory of a community that loved her and revered her." Meller's wake is set for March 19 at Baker Funeral Home from 5 p.m to 7 p.m., followed by a service from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. She'll be buried the next day will full military honors at the Veteran's Cemetery in Middletown.