Rescuers, Mississippi locals behind monument at Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash site

Judy Van Zant, the widow of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, led the unveiling of a seven-ton granite monument to the six who died and 20 injured in the crash of the band’s charter airplane 42 years ago.

[@cminer34]

beautiful .. just a beautiful way to remember the band members .. for they have changed music as we know it and also changed our lives .

[@dougharris8328]

Skynyrd Music lives on

[@allancove4483]

Ronnie Van Zant. The MAN. The GENIUS. The LEGEND. Ronnie Van Zant IS Lynyrd Skynyrd. Love ya always & we miss ya so much my man. World's not the same without ya. Just saying.

[@darrellpaczas]

Ronnie Van Zandt Was One of a Kind - Ronnie Never Wrote a Thing Down -- He Was a Gift From God 🎤

[@barnacles62]

I was 15 years old. A buddy and I had planned to see them, but my parents wouldn't let me go. It was sad, and I think many people felt like they were cheated. Back then unlike now, you barely seen a band perform unless you went to a concert. It was album, 8 track or cassette. The first time I saw footage of them actually playing was in 96 when I bought Freebird the movie. The hair on my neck stood up, I finally got to see them live....

[@amyntut]

R.i.p. Ronnie, Steve, Cassie, Dean and ALSO pilot Walter McCreary and co pilot William Gray.

[@satinwhip]

Sad that the only remaining band members are Artimus, Gary and Leslie.

[@brianmitchell719]

I met Artimus several years ago he is one hell of a genuine guy

[@KevinSago-rs1ys]

@@brianmitchell719, too bad he tells lies, but he is a self-proclaimed LIEberal, so.........

[@brianmitchell719]

Kevin Sago don’t know why you have to bring politics to the conversation but liberals now days ain’t nothing like what the group once was, bootleggers that would run booze with their souped up cars where what liberals once where but my take on politics is everyone lies and don’t care about the working man all they want is our money but that’s government for ya.

[@TonezworldTV]

@@brianmitchell719 yep he's a good dude!

[@frekitheravenous516]

The crash happened 20 days after my 4th birthday. I don't recall much of what my adults were saying, but I remember my 19 yr old aunt crying and my one uncle was playing Skynyrd for the rest of the night. I didn't know any of the songs or even recall what was played, but that small vigil they held on the day the news broke makes me feel connected to the music and the band. It was a standout moment in my most impressionable years. That crash and John Lennon getting shot a couple years later stand out real clear.

[@smallabrasion526]

John Bond is my girlfriends grandfather. It was his land at the time of the crash and he took some survivors to the road in the back of his truck

[@floydfletcher4313]

who care?

[@zer0deaths862]

Before or after he shot at them with his shotgun?

[@smallabrasion526]

Zer0 Deaths a neighbor shot at them thinking they were trespassing

[@joleneloveland2942]

@@floydfletcher4313 you obviously care or you wouldnt be taking any of your precious time going to all the Skynyrd channelS, leaving your mark like a skunk. You are jealousa or a sick troll, because ive seen you left cruel remarks at the Gene Odom Old School channel. Geez dude you are so disrespectful and pittiful, especially towards the dead youre speaking of. What a loser! Go get a real life instead of being a sick POS! Leave your mark on this world by helping out the sick or the poor instead of this childish b.s. The world can be hurtful enough, you are gross.

[@johnlaws9853]

@@zer0deaths862 That's Artimus Pyle's made up narcissistic ego tripping BS.

[@martron1962]

I was in my first year of high school, and in school that day when informed of the crash, the whole school was shocked, the band was just massive at the time. It was a big deal, and a sad day for us rockers, and the world.

[@slackjawedyokel1]

as a retired fireman , props to all the rescuers -had to have been tough

[@heathwaltenburg5984]

Can anyone tell me if the hour long special has aired and where can I find it?

[@scottdoughty5130]

I was wondering the same thing. I'd love to see it. I've added a trip to the crash site to my bucket list!

[@robertegielski8572]

The worst day in rock and roll history,this world hasn't been the same since Ronnie, Steve, Cassie were taken away from us.the pain i feel today is just as bad that horrible day.

[@muffs55mercury61]

Fortunately a lot of concert footage survives of the original group. Their memory will never die and will outlive us. At any crash site there will always be small pieces of metal still there as reminders. This one is no exception. If only the pilots had checked the fuel !! (the gauges reportedly didn't work)

[@tenabruce3548]

Praise God Most Of Them Lived!!! Sweet Home Alabama!!!! FREE BIRD 🐦!!!! We Love 💕 And Miss U All !!!!! Thank God For Everyone Who Saved The Ones Who Lived!!! And The Deceased U All Carried Away!!!! If It Wasn’t For U All, The Rest Of Them Would Of Probably Died Too!!! Also I’m So Glad It Didn’t Catch On Fire 🔥 From This Horrible Plane ✈️ Crash 💥!!!!

[@MrSouthofBoston]

Thank you for this piece.

[@darylhodkinson5369]

Your so nice to bring the Yellows Roses there young lady ,,,, cheers from Ontario Canada ,,, we love that Band's Music to ....

[@miguelsalami]

Beautiful Memorial in Honor of Everyone 🌹

[@lancewebb5990]

Amazing My favorite band ever

[@DavidLee-rx6uo]

Tom Wills is a Jacksonville treasure

[@davidcoleman4291]

Bruce 7 just like AP said RVZ got up and gave him hippie handshake before plane crashed claims johnny mote shot him with a shotgun, and it him and 2 others that went looking for not just AP, look up the people magazine interview with ronnie in Oct 1977 and if he sounds like a man fixing to divorce his wife

[@dawneendostert3576]

“…we’re you horrified?” He replies he was zoned in. I’ve been there, but not to this extent of a tragedy. I am the mother of boys who had rope swings break over a rock driveway, who saw her high school Quarterback son get sacked and sent to the hospital, received the dreaded phone call that same son had rolled our car-but he was “ok”, received another phone call about my Marine son home on leave after he put his car on its side on a highway post and said post was pressing against his friend’s head, etc and more. I learned to put it aside and go into “what needs to be done mode?” or having to stay calm and like he said, zone into what your job of the moment is.

[@terrylunsford8742]

Judy has now moved Ronnie twice. I expect one day she might share buried alongside of him and maybe a place reserved for Melody and her grandkids. RIP Free Birds (all) 🙏🕊😔💔🎸💯

[@tenabruce3548]

To everyone just because they had long hair, doesn’t mean their bad hippies ! I Love ❤️ these guys, and so called hippies, just because of their image!! I seen these guys at Lloyd Noble, In Norman Oklahoma!!! U All R LOVED 🥰 And Missed !!!!!!

[@tadangel4790]

Love this so much 💖🙏🎵

[@ronaldwaynevanzant3985]

LONG LIVE THE LYNYRD SKYNYRD BAND!!😬👌

[@christophmenzel3232]

I‘ m a major Fan from Germany please lay down some Roses in my Name too. This breaks my heart every second I watched this my eyes weren’t dry ❤

[@betsybean4054]

Ronnie had divorce papers in a briefcase.

[@robbygaume600]

Has it ever been explained how his wife was given so much say over a band that she made absolutely no contribution to?

[@Brucev7]

@@robbygaume600 In one video, it said she was working at a 'Red Lobster' maybe, contributing financially to the band.

[@davidcoleman4291]

@@Brucev7 y'all are unbelievable who carries divorce papers in a brief case. My lawyer kept mine in his office while I was working on the road. Just another big lie from artimus Pyle

[@davidcoleman4291]

@@robbygaume600 hey in early days she worked and hauled the band around in het station wagon, ronnie didnt work other than at auto parts store so she made some contributions someone had to pay rent

[@Brucev7]

@@davidcoleman4291 Then prove it

[@ilovedogs711]

Where is the hour long special, please? That’s exactly the kind of thing that needs to be uploaded to KZbin, if you haven’t done so already.

[@ilovedogs711]

And thank you for posting this. It was a touching piece that brought tears to my eyes.

[@joeblow5037]

This is some great journalism. Thank you to all involved!! 🙂

[@bobbiepeak8859]

The souls of the six that died there are still lingering there waiting in those woods till Jes

[@bobbiepeak8859]

When Jesus comes back the souls of the six who died there will be called up to the heavens with Jesus!

[@ladypaul7932]

MOVING!

[@tenabruce3548]

I think this was a damn shame! They didn’t want to even take this flight ✈️, they said it was already making sounds and it shook and they just said they wanted another plane ✈️ to take! So hopefully the family the ones who lived should Sue the management for making them take their last ride in a messed up ⬆️ plane ✈️!!!! God Bless Each And Every One Of You!!!!! Also God Bless The Families Who Lost A Loved 🥰 One ☝️ In This Disaster!!!! Thank God They Now Have A Place and Memorial Place To Go To,So U Can Pay. UR Respects ✊ To All The Ones Who Lost Their Lives In This Horrible Plane ✈️ Crash 💥!!!! Guys,Let Me Say That I Love ❤️ U All And Miss U 😘 All, And Your Lovely Voices, And Your Music!!! But I Know You All R In Rock N Roll Heaven Looking Down At Your Family and Fans!!!!! RIP Lynyrd Skynyrd!!!!! Southern Rock FOREVER,AND EVER!! GONE BUT NOT OR NEVER FORGOTTEN!!!! FREE BIRD 🦅!!!!!!!!! LOVE 💕 ALWAYS UR FAN.!!!! Signed Pauline Bruce!!!!! AMEN 🙏! ❤️🌈🙏💋🎤🎸🎧🎸🎼🎸🎹🎸✊☝️😎😇!!!!!!!

[@zigman8550]

I'm just curious,I wonder why none of the LS band members were ever drafted to go to Vietnam?They were all at the prime draft age.

[@floydfletcher4313]

I wish they would have drafted them, shaved them bald and shipped them off to the jungles of Vietnam.

[@flatlander5054]

The draft during the Vietnam War was determined by a lottery drawing based on days of the year. A date was drawn and so many of those born on that day were drafted into service. Not everyone was born on that day.

[@joleneloveland2942]

@@floydfletcher4313 Hey Everybody! This person here Floyd Fletcher is such a loser that the only thing he has to do is go to every Skynyrd related channel and leave diarespectful remarks. He has no job, no friends. His family tied a pork chop around his neck to try to get the dog to play with him, but the dog wasnt having any of that...but he did lift his leg and mark him before he ran off and rolled in a pile of dead fish.

[@johnlaws9853]

@@flatlander5054 Gene Odom said Ronnie had broken his ankle playing football on a city league and was rejected by the military and that's why he didn't go. But the rest I don't know.

[@Brucev7]

@Zigman 85 Security Head, and boyhood friend, Gene Odom tells about being drafted, in 1969, about two months after he and Ronnie worked at Ronnie's brother-in-law's Auto Parts, where Ronnie was the Manager.

[@charleswilliams8197]

I really just want to say that I was only 11 year's old and remember seeing it on the news and I really didn't realize that that band was as poperler as what I have found out over the years of my life I'm from Jacksonville Florida and I really do miss the original band because they had their own way of playing the music very original sound I'm very sorry for the plan crash that took the lives of the band members but it is a part of life you live and die you can not avoid death but if you live the way God wants everyone to live you may live A long good life okay I've said enough thanks for reading if you do read this message just live a good life and trust in God . thanks Charles Williams ⚡😎♥️🤍💙🌈⚡

[@latunguley]

Top of my list to go and visit! And cover sing out loud in honor of Ronnie

[@spikenomoon]

I don’t understand humans. People become sick with horrible diseases. People suffering be disabled in accidents. Yet we will spend thousands on people who have already past. I would have created a foundation in their names to help others who have been hurt. Those stones will fade away. Love never does it’s eternal.

[@NotSoCrazyNinja]

Van Zant predicted his own death. He was indeed a free bird a free bird you cannot change. As they say brightest flames burn quickest and his flame was blinding. RIP.

[@danieldavis9832]

Planes have taken so many

[@cherylmyers6276]

The band was miss. And me and everyone else will miss them.. I pray there in heaven not in pain and being OK. By my love

[@Super-ew1ty]

Wonderful

[@angelozampieron5565]

RIP❤🙏

[@stevennowlin6155]

god i luved them thru there music

[@tomgreaney1]

NEVER forgotten

[@tenapaulinedavis1172]

Did the families sue the airline and which one had his nose hanging off his face!!!

[@sharilutz1765]

Billy powell

[@donstarfinkel6456]

I hate they put them Confederate flags down at the memorial but great story !!

[@truthteller3820]

Sorry. We ain't WOKE and you can't cancel Skynyrd.

[@truthteller3820]

Oh and you can't remove these monuments either.

[@shortyck420]

You should watch the documentary “ If I leave here tomorrow “ it explains that it has nothing to do with racism it was just a flag that they had at their European shows to show they were from the south that’s all. They didn’t want to b called Yankees.

[@scudderman1]

@@truthteller3820 Damn straight.

[@fizmath1994]

God bless the South and the CSA.

[@stevennowlin6155]

the best ever i dont say that because there gone i said that 4 times

[@eliana458]

Was Ronnie really found impaled on a tree after impact?

[@davidcoleman4291]

No

[@darrellpaczas]

From What I Understand ?? Ronnie Flew out of the Plane and Hit His Head on a Thick Tree and it Broke His Neck!!

[@claychandler3468]

Why do this this is just ridiculous seriously let it Go and move forward

[@tomdilullo1414]

cause you gotta remember the past, the influencers and the influenced. Music especially, we need to remember music roots and respect them and observe them. we need the past to move forward

[@ladypaul7932]

@@tomdilullo1414 You said it best🕊️🕊️👍

[@bluestreetcar]

I lived with Theresa Wilkeson, Leon’s 1st & best wife . There’s things going on you don’t know, behind-the-scenes.