KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — For those who live far away from their families or who move to find better support as they age, there is a possibility that officials will have a harder time locating a next-of-kin after their death.

One such search for the family of a Knoxville woman who died at a retirement community sparked an East Tennessee woman’s interest in honoring the area’s unclaimed dead.

On May 15, Knoxville Police posted on social media asking for the public’s help locating the family of Gloria Scott, 63. She died of natural causes on May 11 at the natural causes at the Golden Age Retirement Village on Beaman Lake Road in Tennessee, police said. After detectives had exhausted all efforts to find Scott’s next-of-kin, KPD asked anyone who had information to contact the department.

Although she had never met Scott, Aishia Hinton-Ponder said seeing the KPD’s post spoke to her heart.

“I’ve never met her, but something about her picture itself spoke to my heart, and I feel like every soul deserves dignity. Every soul deserve respect, and every soul matters,” Hinton-Ponder told NewsNation affiliate WATE.

Initially, she wanted to hold a memorial service for Scott to recognize her life. However, because of the search for Scott’s family, Hinton-Ponder said she soon learned that there are more than 400 people in East Tennessee whose remains are unclaimed.

As of May 22, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center had 440 individuals listed on its unclaimed persons list. For medical examiner cases, which include people whose deaths are unattended, caused by vehicle accidents, potential overdoses or crimes, or otherwise need to be investigated, if a person’s next-of-kin cannot be found or declines to make arrangements, they become unclaimed.

There are many reasons someone may become unclaimed, such as a lack of family, their family is unable to pay for arrangements, or there are strained family ties.

After learning how many people are in East Tennessee unclaimed, Hinton-Ponder said she is looking to hold an event of some form to honor all the individuals who are unclaimed.

“I still would like to bring honor to all of them, and… My main goal with it all is that all souls matter, and regardless of the walk of life you choose in this life, it doesn’t take away from the fact that you was here,” she said. “I would like for the community to just to come together. It doesn’t matter of race, it doesn’t matter of creed. It doesn’t matter political agenda – just come together and understand that all souls matter to the… It should matter to the community and it matters to God.”

Although she is still looking for a location to hold the event, she said she is searching for a way to honor each name on the list. By recognizing the list of those who were unclaimed after they die, Hinton-Ponder said she hopes to remind those who are still living of how precious their lives are.

“We’re living in a time and a day in this society where caring for one another, it seems – is the word obsolete – that we don’t take the time out to show love for one another, to show care for one another, to build [up] one another, or to even tell someone that they matter,” she said. “I want to take time out to tell everybody ‘You matter.’ It doesn’t matter what you’re going through it doesn’t matter where you see yourself at in this world, You matter, and what you going through matters not only to me, but to God.”

While Knoxville Police’s post searching for Scott’s next-of-kin may have started the interest in honoring the hundreds of unclaimed individuals, Scott is not currently included on that list. According to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, a family member of Scott’s has been notified of her passing.