The sky turned dark and tornado warnings were posted for Kentucky, a funnel cloud appeared over our community but did not touch down. I watched in horror as tornado's touched down in neighboring towns. The destruction was horrific! I was glued to the television as I watched the search the recovery efforts in these small Eastern Kentucky towns. My heart was broken for the families who lost loved ones, their lives forever shattered.
One week after the storms I contacted several horse women and found out exactly what the communities needed. I loaded up my horse trailer and with three of my good friends, headed to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky.
I was not prepared to experience the complete devastation, the loss was unbelievable. Parts of the area were completely leveled.
I watched as children picked through the debris looking for their toys, their shoes, anything. I watched a mother hold a picture of her own mother and cry. I listened to a woman say she knew others were worse off, but yet she stood in the debris of her own home with nothing.
My friends and I searched for two hours just to locate a woman's heirloom jewelry. The smile and tears from finding it will forever stay in my memory.
I met a lady who was caring for horses that were displaced. I dropped off 1,000 pounds of horse feed to her and her neighbors. I met several people helping those without family, here I stopped and supplied water and shoes. I watched a little girl climb into my horse trailer and get a story book to read, she lost her books in the storm.
The most memorable statement I heard was from a young mother who said, "I have lost my house, my cars, all my processions, but I still have my family, material things means nothing."