A Tennessee pastor set to marry in just a few weeks was among 16 people killed in last Friday’s explosion at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant near Bucksnort.

Authorities confirmed Monday that Pastor Trent Stewart, who also served as a firefighter with the Waverly Department of Public Safety, died in the blast. The explosion is considered one of the deadliest workplace accidents in Tennessee’s recent history.

Stewart’s name was released along with the 15 others who lost their lives: Reyna Gillahan, Jason Adams, Billy Baker, Christopher Clark, James Cook, LaTeisha Mays, Melinda Rainey, Steven Wright, Erick Anderson, Adam Boatman, Mindy Clifton, Jeremy Moore, Melissa Stafford, Rachel Woodall, and Donald Yowell.

Local leaders have described the tragedy as devastating for the tight-knit community.

Stewart led The Log Church, a small nondenominational congregation in Waverly, and was engaged to Katy Stover. The couple became engaged in December 2023 and had planned to marry this fall.

On social media, family members expressed their grief. “Please keep my cousin Katy Stover in your thoughts and prayers in the days & months ahead. She lost her fiancé Friday in the explosion. Their wedding date was in a few weeks. Everyone loved Trent Stewart,” wrote Tina Hamblin Coon, a cousin of Stover.

Coon described him as “the sweetest, happiest, friendliest goofball you’d ever meet” and added, “He shined especially bright since he started dating Katy. He loved her so much!”

Stewart’s own words show the depth of his faith and devotion to his fiancée. In a June birthday tribute, he wrote: “I thank God every day that He brought you into my life! … This time next year it’ll be a post for my wife instead of my fiancé, and I’m so incredibly excited to marry you.”

Following his death, Stover noted that The Log Church saw an unusually large turnout on Sunday. “We had a packed out house this morning at The Log Church. I know this would have absolutely thrilled Trent,” she wrote. “It brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes to see how many people showed up to honor Trent and all the other families.”

The tragedy has drawn reaction from across the state. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, who is also a candidate for governor, issued a statement Wednesday highlighting Stewart’s service.

“Heartbroken for the community in Waverly after the tragic explosion at the munitions plant claimed the life of Log Church’s beloved Pastor Trent Stewart,” she said. “Our hearts go out to every single family who lost a loved one in this devastating tragedy.”

As investigators continue to look into the cause of the explosion, the Waverly community is left grappling with the loss of a pastor, firefighter, and soon-to-be husband. Stewart’s death is being remembered not only as part of a major industrial tragedy but also as a deeply personal loss for a congregation and a family preparing for a wedding that will never take place.

In times like these, communities often turn to their faith for strength. Stewart himself once reminded his congregation that God’s plans are bigger than our own. While his time on earth has ended far too soon, his testimony of faith, love, and service will continue to inspire those who knew him.

For his family, his church, and his fiancée, the days ahead will be difficult. But as many have already expressed, prayer and God’s presence remain a source of comfort. Stewart’s legacy as a pastor, firefighter, and man of faith will not be forgotten.