Tornado survivor Scott Leavitt stands in the backyard of his home that was devastated by an EF-1 tornado in December.
"I never knew, over the years when I donated to Red Cross, I would ever be the one who needed help.”
Scott Leavitt, tornado survivor
Scott Leavitt, a 60-year-old Army Veteran, had just arrived home from work on December 16, 2020 when a storm came up. He went outside to take down his flag and when it got too windy, he hurried inside.
“As soon as I shut the kitchen door, it just sounded like a train was coming through,” he remembered. “Everything just started shaking. My ears were popping like crazy, I guess from pressure or something. And when I got maybe halfway through the living room, everything behind me was disappearing.”
Leavitt's north Lakeland neighborhood saw the worst impact of the EF-1 storm with maximum winds of 110 MPH. Fortunately, he and his cat Ash survived with no injuries, but his home was destroyed, along with a vehicle and motorcycle. Other neighbors fared better, escaping with broken windows and downed trees, and all were grateful no one was hurt.
Five Red Cross disaster assessment volunteers made their way through the neighborhood as soon as it was safe to do so, checking in on families -- some without power on what would be a cold night -- and offering water, snacks and supplies to neighbors cleaning up.
Polk County Emergency Management put Leavitt in contact with the Red Cross since his home was unlivable. The Red Cross provided him with financial assistance to meet his immediate needs for food, shelter and clothing while his insurance company processed his claim.
“The Red Cross people were so nice,” he said. “That help really made a difference. I never knew, over the years when I donated to Red Cross, I would ever be the one who needed help.”
Leavitt plans to rebuild his home on his property. “I wouldn’t want to live any other neighborhood or community with such good people.”
Florida ranks just below Texas and Kansas, the two most active states for tornadoes in an average year. Typically, spring months of April, May and June have the highest potential for the more tornadoes in a given year, but tornadoes can occur in any month.
When a tornado strikes, your donation helps the Red Cross provide shelter, food and comfort to survivors like Scott. To donate, visit redcross.org/donate, call 800-RED-CROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
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