For those who knew Trooper Hayden Phillips and his family, and for those who simply wanted to pay their respects, Thursday night was more than a candlelight vigil. It was the beginning of a weekend of remembrance for a young man whose death in the line of duty brought grief to his family, fellow law enforcement officers and communities across Kentucky.
Troopers, family, friends and community members gathered Thursday night at Kentucky State Police Post 15 in Columbia to honor Phillips. The lawn quickly filled with people from Adair and surrounding counties who came to stand with Phillips’ family and friends.
A portion of Jamestown Street was closed for the vigil, while the Columbia-Adair County Fire Department displayed the American flag high above the gathering in front of Post 15.
“As we stand here holding these candles, I ask you to look around, look at the people standing beside you. We may come from different communities; we may wear different uniforms. We may have different backgrounds, but none of that matters,” said Captain Jeremy Smith. “Tonight we are one community and that unity cannot end when these candles go out. We must continue supporting Hayden’s family.
“Tonight reminds us that there are no county lines when one of our own falls. Glasgow mourns, Russell County mourns, Columbia mourns and the Kentucky State Police mourn,” he said.
Throughout the vigil, stories were shared about the impact Phillips had on the people he encountered during his career.
One of those stories came from January 2023 when Phillips responded to a call involving a woman who had overdosed. Her young daughter had found her and called for help.
Phillips administered the Narcan he had available, but it was not enough. He returned to his cruiser and retrieved another dose he carried in his gym bag in case he ever needed it.
It worked.
The woman was angry that Phillips had saved her life, but he told her that God needed her to stay on Earth for her daughter. She shared her story on social media after learning of Phillips’ death.
Phillips’ wife, Jordan, has asked that stories like that continue to be told.
Smith said he hopes everyone who knew Phillips takes that responsibility seriously, telling his sons about their father, the people he helped, the lives he touched, the friendships he made and the laughter he shared.
“When those boys are old enough to fully understand what happened on Sept. 28, make sure they understand something else,” he said. “Their father was loved, their father mattered. Their father made a difference, and an entire Commonwealth stood beside their family when they lost him.”
As candles were lit by troopers, Sgt. Billy Gregory sang “Amazing Grace.” The crowd joined in singing the familiar hymn.
The vigil concluded with a song written specifically for Phillips and performed by the Black Gnat Band.
The vigil was only the beginning of a weekend dedicated to remembering Phillips.
The funeral service was held Sunday, at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green. The arena filled with family, friends and law enforcement officers who traveled from across the country to pay their respects.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. and others spoke during the service. Billy Ray Cyrus attended and performed “Some Gave All” and “Amazing Grace.”
The funeral procession began in Bowling Green and concluded in Glasgow with an estimated 900 vehicles making the journey.
At the gravesite, Clydesdale horses carried Phillips’ casket for the final portion of his journey.
After the graveside service concluded and the cemetery had emptied, 10 of Phillips’ fellow troopers changed clothes and returned to bury their friend and brother.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
