LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — 19 years ago, Jonathan Hooker and his wife Scarlett took off from Blue Grass Airport on Flight 5191, heading to California for their honeymoon. The night before, they two had gotten married, celebrating their new life together with family and friends.
"I remember Jon giving me this big bear hug when I left the reception, and said, 'Coach, as soon as I get back from the honeymoon, I wanna spend some time with you. I wanna talk about my future.' Unfortunately, that never happened," said Keith Madison, former head coach of the Kentucky baseball team.
Jon and Scarlett died on August 27, 2006 when the plane took off from the wrong runway and crashed into a field just a few hours after their wedding ceremony.

Covering Kentucky
Pilot recalls Comair flight 5191
49 of the 50 people on board at the time died as a result of the collision.
"The night before, they're planning their life out," Madison said. "You know, they're getting married, they're happy. Scarlett was a beautiful bride. And she had a great smile. And the next day, they're gone. It was really hard to get my mind around that."
Madison reflects on Jon's legacy at the university, as the London, Kentucky native played for him from 1997 to 2001.
"Jon was a big teddy bear type of guy but a great competitor. As a pitcher, he threw really hard. Had a great split finger. Fast ball. We used him as a closure at his last year at Kentucky. One of the best teammates I've ever seen," Madison said.
On the field, Jon wasn't just an athlete. He was a teammate, a leader and a friend.
"I never worried about Jon Hooker. A lot of times when I'd go to bed at night, I would close my eyes and start praying for my players because I had no idea what they were doing that night. I never worried about Jon. He was from a great family. He just had tremendous character and integrity," Madison said.
Honoring the London, Kentucky native's legacy at Kentucky Proud Park, the bullpen was named after him called "The Hook" — a place for fans to cheer on the Wildcats and remember the legacy that Jon left behind.