Well, after our relief mission to SW Missouri & NE Oklahoma, I had to take a couple of days to soak everything in. From standing at the corner of Hwy 43 & Iris Rd., where 12 people lost their lives including a fireman/storm spotter (see pic #2), to helping clean a field for a widow that lost her whole farm (see pic #1), to seeing the total annihilation of a small community already plagued by tragedy (see pic 3 & 4), I just have a couple of thoughts to share.....
The pic with the flag was at the Racine Fire Dept. flying at half staff in memory of the one who saved several. To him, I say thank you.
The close up of the shed with the mud caked on it was from the widow's farm just off Hwy 43. We, along with several other teams, combed the fields sorting wood from metal, finding all sorts of things. We found small pieces of a home computer, countless splintered 2 X 4 studs, clothes, very small bits of roofing shingles, PVC pipe, tin, electric line that went from their pole into their house, etc. We even found a Polaroid of two toddlers that came from who knows where--I will try to get that back to it's rightful owner.
The main thought that kept going through my mind while I was picking up was that these bits & pieces were this lady's home and her livelihood. It was hard to keep from losing it...to her, I say I am sorry.
The other two pics are from Picher--words can't describe....
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2 comments:
I saw these photos last week and forgot to mention that the bent flagpole looks just like the one at the Highland, AR fire station. The building and a lot of the equipment was destroyed on 2/5; Oprah's Big Give donated $10,000 to the reconstruction.
Oh my..that's really destructive..This tornadoes are really ferocious wrath of nature..we can't really do nothing about when it come up to us..the sad thing is that innocent lives are being taken without a fight..really sad..
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