KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Two years after the death of Knox County Deputy Tucker Blakely, a memorial was unveiled to honor his courage, service, and lasting impact on the community.
Blakely was killed in the line of duty on October 2, 2023.. In the time since his death, the Knox County community has come together to remember him. The memorial unveiled on Tuesday is on Emory Road, just down the street from Blakely’s alma mater, Powell High School. Its creation began with a text from Commissioner Rhonda Lee to Jim Snowden, the director of Engineering and Public Works, to see what they could do to keep Blakely’s memory alive.
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“We can’t take the heartache away from the family and everybody who loved Tucker. We can’t give the son back, the husband back, or the daddy back. One thing we could do is we could do something to remember Tucker, so that everyone in this community, every child who goes to school here, can drive by and say, ‘Who was Tucker Blakely?’ forever. That he won’t be forgotten,” said Lee.
At the event, Blakely’s wife, Katarina, shared memories of her husband’s life. Both graduated from Powell and were active in the band program there. She shared hopes that the memorial would remind all who see it of more than just the sacrifice her husband made…