Many of you have heard of the deadly tornadoes that moved through the South yesterday...
Last night Michelle called me and let me know that Deltaville, VA - the town she grew up in - was hit by a tornado... And the path literally took it right next door to her Dad's house, the house she grew up in!
Everyone is OK - Thank God that it missed her Dad's house...and the rest of her family; she has aunts and uncles that all live right next door to one another...they are all fine.
Michelle's Dad just got home from the hospital yesterday afternoon and now this. LOL Power is out to the entire area - the damage is incredible. Landmarks, buildings, etc....all that Michelle grew up seeing are now just a pile of rubble. Tornadoes are not common out there, so they don't have warning sirens. Also, being right next to the water, houses don't have basements.
Another neighboring town, Gloucester, was hit hard, too. The path of the tornado destroyed part of the middle school and there have been 3 confirmed fatalities in Gloucester.
The State Police is restricting access to the area to only residents, but Michelle was allowed down since she was with her Dad... Here are some of the pics...
This is (was) historic Zoar Baptist Church...it is right on the corner of her Dad's road. Notice the steeple in the foreground
Here is the side view
This is the Community Center - right across the street from Zoar, notice the roof is gone.
This is looking from her Dad's house...the building standing is the Community Center (Zoar is off-camera to the right). The light-blue stripe is the pool. The 'yellow' wall is what's left of of the pool building...it was cinder-block construction and just shredded.
This is looking at her Grandmother's house...all the damage to the trees. The metal in the trees is the roof from the Community Center! Her Dad's house is off-camera to the right.
This is the only damage to her Dad's...a downed tree limb. Incredible.
Having lived in Tornado Alley for practically my entire life, I'm used to seeing how a tornado will pick apart one house, but leave another...but the power of Mother Nature is still humbling. I'm used to seeing the damage, but it really hits home when it's someone you love. I'm so thankful that Michelle, her Dad and all her family are OK. I pray for those who have lost everything and loved ones.
Last night Michelle called me and let me know that Deltaville, VA - the town she grew up in - was hit by a tornado... And the path literally took it right next door to her Dad's house, the house she grew up in!
Everyone is OK - Thank God that it missed her Dad's house...and the rest of her family; she has aunts and uncles that all live right next door to one another...they are all fine.
Michelle's Dad just got home from the hospital yesterday afternoon and now this. LOL Power is out to the entire area - the damage is incredible. Landmarks, buildings, etc....all that Michelle grew up seeing are now just a pile of rubble. Tornadoes are not common out there, so they don't have warning sirens. Also, being right next to the water, houses don't have basements.
Another neighboring town, Gloucester, was hit hard, too. The path of the tornado destroyed part of the middle school and there have been 3 confirmed fatalities in Gloucester.
The State Police is restricting access to the area to only residents, but Michelle was allowed down since she was with her Dad... Here are some of the pics...
This is (was) historic Zoar Baptist Church...it is right on the corner of her Dad's road. Notice the steeple in the foreground
Here is the side view
This is the Community Center - right across the street from Zoar, notice the roof is gone.
This is looking from her Dad's house...the building standing is the Community Center (Zoar is off-camera to the right). The light-blue stripe is the pool. The 'yellow' wall is what's left of of the pool building...it was cinder-block construction and just shredded.
This is looking at her Grandmother's house...all the damage to the trees. The metal in the trees is the roof from the Community Center! Her Dad's house is off-camera to the right.
This is the only damage to her Dad's...a downed tree limb. Incredible.
Having lived in Tornado Alley for practically my entire life, I'm used to seeing how a tornado will pick apart one house, but leave another...but the power of Mother Nature is still humbling. I'm used to seeing the damage, but it really hits home when it's someone you love. I'm so thankful that Michelle, her Dad and all her family are OK. I pray for those who have lost everything and loved ones.
