Thankful for help in wake of tornado

If you live in Lawrence County, there’s a good chance you have a healthy respect for tornados.
Mine developed at age five, when the edge of my parents’ property off Fall River Road was touched by one. We didn’t have a basement and I remember huddling with my family in the hallway, scared to death.
Nothing can prepare you for the reality of a tornado. No matter how many videos or photos you’ve seen, you can’t imagine the raw fear of seeing and hearing one approach.
In the early hours of Monday, March 16, our neighbors in Bonnertown felt that fear. Minutes later, the long, hard work of picking up the pieces started, and will continue for months. Some things will never look the same, like the empty spaces where decades-old trees stood.
I am so thankful that no lives were lost and there were no major injuries. I’m also thankful the damage was not more widespread, because as you know, tornados can travel on the ground for miles and can grow much stronger than the EF1 that hit Bonnertown. But none of that makes Monday’s storm any less tragic for those who were affected.
Thank you to all who came to Bonnertown with chainsaws, skid-steers, food, blankets, and much more. I can’t say enough about Tennessee Valley Weather, whose coverage surely saved lives; the LUS linemen who cleared up and repaired downed lines; LawCo Highway department; LawCo Solid waste; Lawrenceburg Sanitation; LawCo Sheriff’s Department; TN Highway Patrol; TDOT; TDEC and the paid and volunteer first responders who arrived on the scene immediately and returned again and again.
When there is a need in Lawrence County, we respond with love and hands eager to help. It’s one of many things that makes this a wonderful community, that I am proud to serve and call home. Please pray for those affected by this most recent tornado, and for protection for us all from future storms.