The 9-year-old daughter of the California news anchor who died of a suspected overdose said her father’s memory will always remain with her during an emotional memorial service held on the late broadcaster’s birthday this week.

“In my heart, he’s still there and alive and I hope he is for all of you, too,” said Chris Burrous’ 9-year-old daughter Isabella, during the Friday service inside SkyRose Chapel at Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuaries in Whittier.

Burrous died suddenly on Dec. 27, when he was found unresponsive at a Days Inn in Glendale.

“Today would’ve been Chris’s 44th birthday,” his wife, Mai Do Burrous, said at the service, according to the KTLA report. “I want you to know that the Chris Burrous you all loved so much was exactly the Chris Burrous I knew for the past 20 years. He was lightning in a bottle.”

Burrous, the son of a farmer and NASA engineer, was born on Jan. 11, 1975, the outlet reported. He graduated from Chapman University with a broadcast journalism degree before launching his 20-year reporting and anchoring career.

He worked at two other California stations in the early part of his career, including KGET in Bakersfield, where he met his wife who was also working there, the outlet reported.

“On-air or off, out and about in a fire line, or cutting in at the buffet line, he was really exactly that silly, whip-smart, funny,” Mai said. “The most thoughtful person I ever met.”

Then he accepted an anchor job at KTLA’s sister station in the Big Apple, PIX 11, before returning to California to continue his career.

During his time at KTLA, he helped extend its Morning News segment to seven days a week, anchoring weekends and covering breaking news on weekday mornings.

He also highlighted Southern California’s best hole-in-the-wall eateries in his weekend Burrous’ Bites segments.

He helped lead coverage on the region’s devastating wildfires, as well as the mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, the station said.

“Immediately, he broke through, and he connected with all of us and he connected with the people who watch the shows,” KTLA entertainment anchor Sam Rubin said during the service, recalling Burrous’ first days at the station.

“I think that was your dad’s gift,” another KTLA Morning News Colleague Wendy Burch added, addressing Isabella. “He could take just this tiny, tiny, little story and make it so interesting for all of us.”