They came in their thousands from all walks of life – men and women, young and old, Demons fans and rival supporters.
They shed tears and shared laughs in memory of the man they so admired.
They filled Melbourne’s Federation Square and surrounding streets to watch Jim Stynes’ funeral service on big screens.
A fitting send off for a remarkable AFL great.
“It was a beautiful way to say goodbye to a wonderful man who left too soon but has left a wonderful legacy,” said 56-year-old Linda Carter.
“To feel the love that he gave out to people coming back from strangers all around the place.
“It was an honour to be able to be part of that and to learn more about Jim Stynes and what he meant to not only his family but to the people of Melbourne and Australia.”
Stynes, 45, died last week after a three-year battle with cancer.
Shaun Dux, 27, one of many clad in Demons jerseys and scarves, said it was Stynes’ youth work through the Reach Foundation charity he co-founded that made him an inspiration.
“There’s a lot of Melbourne supporters but also I have seen Collingwood, Hawthorn and a lot of other supporters,” Mr Dux said.
“It’s not because of his footy spirit, it’s what he did for the Reach Foundation.”
Essendon supporter Steven Ellard, who said he’d had the honour of meeting Stynes, described his loss as devastating.
“I was there the day he played his 244th consecutive game against Essendon and you won’t see anyone do that again. The bloke was a robot, he never broke down,” Mr Ellard said.
His brother Mark said it had been a privilege to be a Melbourne fan while his hero played for the club.
Susan McMinn, 47, said Tuesday’s turnout showed what an impact Stynes made on people’s lives.
“There’s a lot of people who just want to show him we all thought he was an amazing man,” she said.