LEXINGTON, Ky. — Twenty years ago Thursday, Comair Flight 5191 crashed shortly after takeoff from Bluegrass Airport just after 6 a.m., claiming 49 lives and shaking the Lexington community to its core.
Families of victims and community leaders gathered Thursday to mark the somber anniversary, reflecting on the tragedy and honoring those who were lost.
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton spoke at the event, acknowledging the lasting impact of the crash.
"Our community was shaken by a terrible tragedy," Gorton said. "We all remember where we were when the news came. Of course, no one was more deeply affected than the families of those who were lost."
Sue Byrd, whose son Brian died in the crash, was among those in attendance. She offered a message about how she chooses to carry the memory of those on board.
"I choose to remember the 49 people whose lives were taken that morning because they were more than passengers, they were somebody's whole world," Byrd said.
Matthew Snoddy, whose father Tim was a passenger on Flight 5191, said the gathering carries more than grief.
"We're also here to celebrate the lives, the names, the souls that all touched our lives in meaningful ways," he said.
State Sen. Reggie Thomas reflected on how Lexington responded in the aftermath of the disaster.
"Lexington is a community that really came together and helped the families who suffered this tragic loss in their time of need," Thomas said.
