JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Loved ones of a mariner who was on board the El Faro cargo ship gathered Saturday evening in his memory.
Dozens came together at Friendship Fountain to pay tribute to Lonnie Jordan.
Pastor Virgil Jones grew up with Jordan and attended the vigil. He remembers Jordan as a man of few words with a heart of gold and a love for the church.
Jones also remembers the days of youth choir with his old friend. He sends a message of relief for those still mourning.
"We can't remove the pain or replace the loved one, but we can add our comfort and our prayers," Jones said.
Jones said Jordan was a dedicated seaman who loved sailing and the El Faro. This week was especially hard for them, after investigators ended the search for the ship's data recorder.
The Jordan Family's attorney said they're still looking for closure.
"They want the truth, they want the whole truth," Willie Gary, the family's attorney, said. "No matter what it takes to get there or how long it takes."
Jordan's family and friends are creating a foundation in his name to help support those in need, in his memory as well as everyone on board the ship.
With candles burning bright, Jordan's family and friends memorialize him. Through faith, Jordan's mother says they'll keep his memory alive.
"Yes, they went down like they did. But, God let me know that he sent the chariot down, not just for Lonnie, he sent the chariot down for all of them," Joanna Johnson, Jordan's mother, said.
Jodan's mother said their foundation will be called the Lonnie Jordan Memorial Foundation. Plans for the organization are still in motion.