Follow Sen. John McCain’s final journey in Arizona

PHOENIX — The final day of memorial services honoring Arizona Sen. John McCain got underway Thursday morning, with a procession from the Arizona State Capitol to North Phoenix Baptist Church.

The motorcade was scheduled to head north on 17th Avenue then west on Adams Street.

From there it would take Interstate 17 to Camelback Road and head east until it reached Central Avenue.

The motorcade will go north to the church at 5777 N.Central Ave.

About 3,500 guests were expected to attend the service.

Afterward, McCain’s casket will go to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

The farewell will include a salute from the Arizona Air and Army National Guard and words from two McCain children, Bridget and Andrew.

About 3,500 guests were expected to attend.

9:09 a.m.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety honor guard carries the casket of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. from the Arizona Capitol to a hearse for the trip to the North Phoenix Baptist Church for a memorial service on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers lead the procession from the Arizona State Capitol. McCain’s casket was carried to a waiting hearse by a department honor guard.

9:10 a.m.

Phoenix residents have already begun to line the streets of the procession route.

Hundreds of people are standing along Central Avenue in Phoenix to witness Sen. John McCain’s motorcade as he’s taken to his memorial service. pic.twitter.com/9eKxjaBpfX

— KTAR News (@KTAR923) August 30, 2018

9:30 a.m.

“The outpouring of support, people along the route, people there yesterday, that’s just something else. Arizona loves this man,” Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake said at the church before the service began.

9:40 a.m.

The motorcade has turned onto Central Avenue. Spectators held signs, some held flags, some waved, some saluted.

Part of the street has been lined with small flags.

🇺🇸Central Avenue lined up with American flags as a tribute to Arizona’s Sen. John McCain. ~ North Phoenix Baptist Church. @KTAR923 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/YIpkkYwCff

— Martha Maurer (@MaurerMartha) August 30, 2018

9:46 a.m.

Spectators outside North Phoenix Baptist Church @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/VlURYy1y7u

— Kathy Cline (@ClineKathleen) August 30, 2018

The <ahref=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=o4djSqpruQ0&feature=youtu.be” target=”_blank”>motorcade arrives at North Phoenix Baptist Church.

9:57

The honor guard has carried the casket into the church.

10:03 a.m.

Senior Pastor Noe Garcia has begun the service.

“We will grieve and we will mourn,” Garcia said.

The Brophy Student Ensemble sang “Amazing Grace.”

10:10 a.m.

Eulogies begin. Former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods shares stories about his first day working as McCain’s chief of staff. “He picked me up (himself).” McCain later jokingly directed Woods to fire half the office.

“Arizona loved him.”

10:30 a.m.

Tommy Espinoza gives a tribute during memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York, Pool)

Longtime friend Tommy Espinoza said McCain took risks and was loyal to a fault.

Espinoza said McCain twice asked him to work on his campaigns. “I said, ‘John, you know I’m a Democrat.'”

McCain didn’t care, Espinoza said.

“My dear friend, vaya con Dios.”

10:39 a.m.

Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, gives a tribute during memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York, Pool)

 

Arizona Cardinals star receiver Larry Fitzgerald said McCain’s friendship inspired him to visit Vietnam. “The ordeal my friend survived became all the more real.”

Fitzgerald said despite their superficial differences, “He ran for president, I ran out of bounds,” their relationship grew because “That’s just how (McCain) is.”

10:45 a.m.

Former Vice President Joe Biden gives a tribute during memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

 

Former Vice President Joe Biden introduced himself: “My name’s Joe Biden, I’m a Democrat and I loved John McCain.”

Biden recalled moments of his long friendship with McCain, starting when Biden was in the U.S. Senate representing Delaware.

He told the family, “I pray you take some comfort knowing that because you shared John with all of us your whole life, the world now shares with you the ache of John’s death.”

He said a time would come when they would remember their husband and father without the sadness.

Biden’s son Beau and Sen. Ted Kennedy died of the same rare, aggressive cancer — glioblastoma — as McCain.

Beau Biden died in May 2015.

Joe Biden finished his half-hour plus tribute, “To paraphrase Shakespeare, we shall not see his like again.”

11:17 a.m.

The Brophy Student Ensemble sang “Arizona.”

11:28 a.m.

Garcia returned to the end the service. “Sen. John McCain is in heaven with God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son.”

11:30 a.m.

The family leaves the church first, followed by guests, to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”

11:43 a.m.

McCain’s casket was loaded into the hearse; the procession departed for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The plane carrying his body to Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., was scheduled to take off at 12:30 p.m.

11:52 a.m.

Spectators on a pedestrian bridge over State Route 51 near northbound McDowell watch the McCain motorcade as it heads toward the airport.

12:08 p.m.

The honor guard escorted the casket to an Air Force plane while family and friends waited on the tarmac.

The family then climbed the stairs onto the aircraft.

12:46 p.m.

The blue and white plane marked United States of America and bearing a small American flag on the tail left the ground.

4:40 p.m.

The plane carrying McCain’s casket landed at the Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C.

Senator McCain returns to Washington one last time pic.twitter.com/8Xreoiy9fS

— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) August 30, 2018

McCain will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol on Friday, and he’ll be transported to the Washington National Cathedral for a national memorial service Saturday.

KTAR News 92.3 FM will carry live, uninterrupted coverage of the national memorial service for Sen. John McCain at 7-9 a.m. Saturday.

Follow @KTAR923