In Sumner County, Compassion And Kindness Follow The Storm
April 13, 2006, As Sumner County residents know all too well, Friday’s devastating tornadoes left a path of destruction and heartache across Middle Tennessee. Many residents I have spoken with feel blessed to have escaped with their lives, but nearly everyone in the storm’s path experienced some level of loss.
The day after the storms, I traveled with Governor Phil Bredesen and local officials to some of the hardest hit neighborhoods. I spoke with homeowners who were combing through the splintered remains of their homes, working to salvage what they could. Many said they didn’t care about most of their material possessions as long as they could save some of their family photos or other irreplaceable items.
Later, we met with Dr. Warren Nichols at Volunteer State Community College. I was moved by the image of every clock frozen at 2:24 p.m., the time the tornado struck the campus. With several hundred students on campus at the time, it is truly extraordinary that no one was seriously injured at the school.
At a time when so much wreckage is in sight, some consolation can be found in the way residents have come together as a result of this disaster. In buildings all over the county, strangers huddled together as they rode out the storm. In fact, my Sumner County field office in the basement of the Courthouse provided shelter to several as the storms roared through.
As the weather calmed, more people came to my office looking for a working phone. Some who were understandably distraught were comforted by strangers as they took turns checking in with family members. In neighborhoods across the county, residents who may not have known their neighbors before Friday have been more than willing to lend a hand in the clean-up of a neighbor’s property.
It is this same spirit and compassion that will serve residents well as they repair and rebuild. I started working Friday night to make sure federal assistance is available in a timely way. As I told the residents I spoke with on Saturday, I will work to get people the help they need to put their lives back together. If I can be of any assistance, please contact my Sumner County office at 615-451-5174.
