ST. MARYS, Ga. — In the heart of St. Marys, Georgia, a community made a tribute Monday to three men who will live on in their hearts.
The families of Tyler Barlow, Dalton Conway and Caleb Wilkinson gathered in downtown St. Marys to commemorate one year since the men were lost at sea. The families are raising money to build a memorial on the waterfront.
“Just standing back from afar and looking over, it’s definitely heartwarming,” said Stevie Conway, looking toward the crowd.
One year ago Monday was the last time Conway saw her fiance, Wilkinson, and her brother, Dalton Conway. It was also the last time Kim Cardounel and Chris Barlow saw their son, Tyler Barlow as the three set off on a fishing trip with their dog, Tank. They never returned.
"I kept asking God to please not make us be the families that would have no answers,” Cardounel told the crowd.
The families searched for the men for more than a month.
“I found out it was a boy a couple weeks after they had left," Conway said about her pregnancy.
Her son is now six months old.
“This is Caleb’s baby, Levi," she told the crowd. "He made it."
Conway said her community’s support is what’s gotten her through the past year. Now that support takes shape on the riverfront. Money is being raised to build a memorial for the men and for all other people who could one day be in their position.
“Especially in a historical area like this, to be able to have our own memorial for the boys, that is big," Conway said.
“We don’t have answers, but what we do have are 365 days of love," Cardounel told the crowd.
Now Cardounel and Conway have tattoos on their arms for their loved ones.
"That’s from Tyler,” Cardounel said, pointing to her tattoo.
Cardounel explained Tyler’s words were written on a receipt that was almost destroyed with other receipts by a machine.
"Everything is burned and gone except for his words,” Cardounel said.
Her son’s words: "I love you."
Cardounel is expressing her love for her son by working on the memorial.