CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Five-year-old Talon Blasjo doesn’t remember his father, but he can tell you stories about him.

And, boy, will he have a story to tell about the way Sgt. Aaron J. Blasjo was honored before Sunday’s game between the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs.

Talon was selected to take part in the coin toss as the Panthers honor fallen heroes on “Salute to Service Day" at Bank of America Stadium.

He’ll be standing next to his favorite NFL player, reigning league MVP Cam Newton, while Talon's mother, Crystal, stands nearby -- probably in tears like she was the day the organization called with the invitation.

“There is no doubt I’ll be emotional," Crystal told ESPN.com. “But there will be both tears of joy and tears of sadness. Sadness for the fact Aaron can’t be there, but joy for the fact that he is being remembered.

“I know he’ll be there in spirit with us."

Talon Blasjo with his mom, Crystal, in front of a picture of his dad, Aaron. Courtesy of Blasjo family

Talon was born in March 2011. Five weeks later, his father was deployed to Afghanistan for the third time in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Aaron, a K-9 handler, and his dog Hunter were killed three weeks later on a Memorial Day weekend hostage mission.

Talon has only heard stories about his father from friends and family members, but he repeats them “like he knew him."

Asked what Aaron would say about being honored Sunday, Crystal didn’t hesitate.

“He would say it’s no big deal," she said. “Honestly. He always told me, if he had to go, that’s the way he would want to go. He never feared being deployed. He never feared the risk, something we talked about.

“I tell people all the time, if he heard people say thank-you for his sacrifice, he’d say, ‘Oh, stop it! It’s nothing.’ That’s just how Aaron’s personality was."

Aaron won’t be the only fallen soldier honored by the Panthers.

Each player will wear a decal with the initials of a fallen service member on his helmet. A replica of those helmets with the decal and autograph of the player will be given to a member of the family between the first and second quarters. There also will be a video tribute.

The Panthers began this last season and other teams have picked up on it.

“It really means a lot to us to us players knowing that we’re representing a family, representing a fallen shoulder, knowing what they’ve given up, what they’ve sacrificed for us to have the freedom we have right now," outside linebacker Thomas Davis said.

“It means the world to us to wear those initials on our helmet."

Talon Blasjo at the Panthers-Packers game last year as a guest of the USO of North Carolina. Courtesy of Blasjo family

The Panthers have done a lot with the military since Ron Rivera, the son of a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, became the head coach in 2011. Rivera often brings military members into the locker to tell their stories and serve as inspirations.

The fallen heroes program is especially significant to him because he had a cousin lose her husband in Operation Desert Storm.

“When I was with the Eagles, he was based out of Virginia," Rivera said. “When he passed over there in the war, Stephanie and I went to the funeral. It was a full military honors one at Arlington. It was impressive."

Crystal has no doubt that Sunday’s ceremony will be impressive, especially the coin toss. She said Talon has been practicing for it in his Cam Newton jersey.

“He’s always doing the dab and Superman thing like Cam does," Crystal said.

Talon wore his Newton jersey to last year’s game between the Panthers and Green Bay Packers, where he was a guest of the USO of North Carolina. Crystal wore Aaron's Green Bay Donald Driver jersey.

“Yes, he was a Packers fan," Crystal said. “But regardless of my husband’s belief, Talon has stayed strong with the Panthers. That’s his team.

“Now, not only does he get to do the coin toss, he gets to celebrate this remembrance of his father. It’s meant the world to us that Aaron’s sacrifice hasn’t gone unnoticed. This is a day we’ll never forget."