Sivani Babu, American Red Cross

When a deadly EF-4 tornado struck London, Kentucky, just before midnight on May 15, tearing Samuel Parker from his home, he says he knew what he was in for, “I said, ‘Lord, I’m ready for the ride. Let’s go.’”

By some accounts, the violent tornado which reached windspeeds of 170 mph and traveled nearly 56 miles through three Kentucky counties, carried Parker more than a mile from his home. It’s unclear where, exactly, he was found — he was told by emergency personnel that he was found in a tree, but he thinks it might have been a parking lot. The one thing no one disputes is that it’s remarkable he survived.

After spending nearly a week in the local hospital, Parker, who lost everything in the tornado, including the home he’d just finished paying off earlier in May, was discharged wearing clothes from the hospital’s lost and found and brought to the American Red Cross shelter at the First Baptist Church of London. There, Red Cross volunteers provided him with clean clothes, safe shelter, warm meals, basic medical care, and more.

“I can tell that the Red Cross is godsent,” Parker said as he showed off the bruises covering much of his body and the staples he received to close a head laceration. “They’re good-hearted. You knew they cared. They made sure I had something to eat, and they made sure I had a place to sleep, and that was my gold.”

Since May 15, Red Cross disaster responders have been on the ground providing vital services to those impacted. As of May 25, the Red Cross has provided more than 300 overnight stays, more than 11,000 meals and snacks, and more than 5,000 disaster recovery items to survivors of the tornado. To support disaster relief efforts and make a financial donation, visit redcross.org.