Fresh flowers and other mementos were placed at the El Faro memorial on the third anniversary of the wreck.
Pastor Robert Green lost his son LaShawn Rivera in the 2015 wreck.
"You would think it would get easier, but the third year has been one of those years,” Green said.
Rivera was the chief cook and had been working on the seas for 13 years by the time he set sail September 29, 2015. The El Faro was destined of Puerto Rico. A Coast Guard investigation found the captain and the ship’s owner, Tote Maritime, were at fault for the wreck.
In the aftermath, recommendations of modernizing safety equipment. The tragedy led Pastor Green to join the Seamen’s Church Institute: preaching to those like his son as they embark on what could be their last journey.
“Not only do I have a ministry in the pulpit but on the ports as well,” Green said.
He explained he is forever tied to the crews putting their lives on the line to transport the items we all need. It’s why he’s using his faith to help guide them.
"Mariners are very important so I want them to know how important they are, Green said.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry proclaimed October 1, 2018, El Faro 33 Memorial Day, honoring the lives lost at sea.