(Photo By Flickr User Homecoming At Illinois State)

It’s been one year since tragedy struck the Illinois State University community.

On April 7, 2015, the ISU community was stunned and saddened by a tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of two Athletics Department staff members and five Redbird friends and supporters.

A plane carrying seven passengers coming from the NCAA basketball championship went down, killing everyone on board. Two of those victims were staffers with the university, the other five were fans.

Coping with the loss is never easy; but staffers say the community has done its best at moving forward. A year later, memorials sit on campus honoring the lives of the victims so they are not forgotten.

Staffers say following the devastation last year, campus morale was low. Sadness swept over the ISU community. But the Redbirds banded together, embracing one another at a time when needed most.

Brock Spack, ISU football coach said,

“It’s been a tough week for all of us watching national championship game. That’s where they were at. Brought bad memories to that fateful day a year ago. I choose the remember the cool times I had with the guys.”

The university is not holding a formal remembrance ceremony, however it does encourage the community to honor the victims at the campus memorial.

The wives and fiances of the victims started an effort called Project 7. In memorial of the victims, the women are requesting everyone to honor their memories by doing seven acts of kindness today.

The memorial was built last year. All the victims’ names are etches in stone. They will forever be known as the Redbird 7.

(Information Courtesy Of WICS/Newschannel 20)