A monument now stands in front of the Capitol Building, telling the community of all of the loved ones that never made it home.

Medal of Honor Recipient, Hershel “Woody” Williams, co-founded the Woody Williams Foundation, responsible for the newly erected Gold Star Families Memorial Monument.

Gold Star is in reference to WWI when families with loved ones serving would have a blue star hanging in their window that they would trade for a gold if their serviceman was killed at war.

“Our brothers and our sisters. Our husbands and our wives. They answered the call. They served and they fought, and they answered for all of our freedoms,” said Governor Andy Beshear.

Governor Beshear dedicated the memorial to the Gold Star Families, now all connected through the loss of their fallen service members.

Families shared the dates they lost their loved ones.

“We will always have that empty chair. Our community will always have this silhouette. When the sun catches it just right, the shadow is cast, and it’s as if our family members are still with us, our soldier is still with us,” said Gold Star Mother, Cathy Mullins.

The monument does not include names so that it can honor the life and legacy of every fallen service member across the Commonwealth.