The mood was somber, quiet, and reflective as mourners circled the 5191 memorial in the Arboretum, walking past the 49 names carved into the base and placing sunflowers in a bright array below the sculpture of birds rising.
Those were the moments immediately following the nearly hour-long ceremony, which drew many of the people who played an instrumental role in responding to the crash — from then-Police Chief Anthany Beatty to former Mayor Teresa Isaac.
The sound of bagpipes filled the hill overlooking the memorial. The crowd stood silent as the colors were presented.
"Father, while the years and decades have passed, we still feel the effect of this event," a chaplain began.
The day was August 27th, 2006. The time was 6:06 AM.
"We all remember where we were when the news came," Mayor Linda Gorton said, recalling the shockwaves that quickly spread.
Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman remembered seeing a college classmate's picture during the coverage.
"The weight of this loss, the void at the family dinner table, and the quiet moments of missing someone you loved, will never fully disappear, but today we pause," she said.
Police Chief Lawrence Weathers and Fire Chief Jason Wells read the names every passenger.
While it was a ceremony marking two decades since the tragedy that shook Lexington, for some family members it could have been yesterday. Some who shared their thoughts at the microphone spoke of the ways grief has shaped them in the years since.
Yet the words that encapsulated the day were "love" and "community."
Matthew Snoddy, who lost his father Tim in the crash, said the outpouring of support from all corners of the city is just as easy to recall.
"Each time I look back over the past 20 years and say, how did I get through this, community whispers in my ear, we got through this together."
Hear an interview with Flight 5191 documentary filmmaker Lanny Brannock.