A tornado struck Trumann, Arkansas causing extensive damage to residential areas of the community. The American Red Cross was there to provide assistance to residents recovering from the disaster. (American Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)
Brittany Wagner gets an armload of blankets from American Red Cross volunteer Julio Arroyo during a stop in Trumann, Arkansas where a tornado struck the town. Red Cross volunteers went through the neighborhoods providing emergency relief supplies to those impacted by the storm. (American Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)
American Red Cross volunteers Tommie Byest and Julio Arroyo unload emergency supplies in Trumann, Arkansas where a tornado caused extensive damage to sections of the community. (American Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)
Benton Andrew, a Trumann, Arkansas resident, gets emergency relief supplies from Red Cross volunteer Tommie Byest as the Red Cross went through the community offering assistance for those recovery from the tornado that damaged much of the community. (American Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)
By Carl Manning
American Red Cross
Brittany Wagner had planned to spend a quiet Friday night at home in Trumann, Arkansas with her four sons, ages 2, 8, 9 and 13 and think about the holiday season.
But on that night of Dec.10, things changed in an instant when a tornado tore through parts of her hometown, laying waste to homes as it moved on to bring destruction to other areas of the state.
It was a night that still brings her to tears as she recounts when the house started shaking and she grabbed her children, told them to get on the floor in the hallway and covered them with pillows and then threw herself on top to protect them.
With family huddled on the floor, the back door blew open and massive amounts of debris from the outside swept over them.
“I told the boys to get down and said I mean now. I heard this sound like a train and then suddenly everything was silent,” she recalled. “I prayed to let it be a nightmare and then it was over.”
Slowly she got up, checked to make sure her children were OK, looked around and realized her house still was standing. She was one of the lucky ones. Only a few windows were broken and some Christmas decorations torn from outside, but otherwise it was just a matter of cleaning up the mess left behind.
“It was a nightmare and we wouldn’t be here except for God’s grace, I truly believe we were spared,” she said.
A few days later, Brittany and her neighbors were standing behind an American Red Cross truck to get emergency supplies to help in their initial recovery. She and neighbor Edward Williams talked about that night.
“I’ve lived here since the first grade. This is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Edward said.
But that was then and this is now. Brittany, her children and neighbors survived the storm and now set about to rebuild their lives, grateful for the assistance.
“We appreciate all you are doing to help us,” she told Red Cross volunteers Tommie Byest and Julio Arroyo as they handed her and others an assortment of supplies to help their cleanup and repair.
Items such as shovels and rakes, tarps for covering holes in the roof, gloves, trash bags, large plastic storage bins and blankets. Brittany got an armload of blankets for herself and her children to help them keep warm until the electrical power was restored.
Tommie and Julio took the truck to other areas where some houses were barely touched and others looked like something in a war zone. One of those they helped was Benton Andrew who was staying with a relative while his home across the street was being repaired.
Benton got what he needed, picked it up and started back to the relative’s home, but paused to turn around to thank Tommie and Julio.
For Tommie, that made his day.
“It’s about giving them hope and letting them know that we will be here for them,” he said. “It’s really a pleasure to be able to help these people when they need it most.”
