By Adam Studzinski
NORMAL – Illinois State University’s athletics department launched a website this week to remember the seven men who died in a plane crash outside Bloomington in April.
The Redbird Remembrance site features background on who the seven were, videos of the press conferences held after the accident, and much more.
“The photo gallery to me is just stunning,” said Athletics Director Larry Lyons. “The families provided intimate photos of their families and, I mean, that tells an incredible story there.”
The website compliments the memorial constructed outside Redbird Arena and the patches student-athletes and coaches are wearing during the 2015-2016 academic year. Lyons explained why the university believed a digital memorial was important to have as well.
“It’s probably the best way to record things for posterity’s sake,” said Lyons. “Down the road, this will be a big part of Illinois State’s history, and this community’s history. The permanent memorial was a piece of that, but I think a digital memorial is also a big piece of it.”
Lyons added ISU is still planning one final memorial for the men: a plaque dedicated to the victims inside Redbird Arena. The Redbird Remembrance website can be viewed at remembrance.goredbirds.com.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
