Red Cross caseworkers Misty Sutton and Linda Morgan were driving through a Springdale, Arkansas neighborhood when they spotted a yard filled will broken branches and tree parts, and a blue tarp on a section of the roof.

Javier Chavez explained the tornado that struck his section of town had knocked down trees and some large branches, had punched holes in the roof and damaged the ceiling inside of his home. Still, he considers himself and his family very lucky. Things could have been much worse.

“It really feels good to survive this,” he explained. “We were very nervous that something really bad could happen but it feels good to have survived this.”

His front yard near the street has become a repository of broken branches and tree limbs, awaiting to be picked up and hauled away.

“We’re really happy to have the Red Cross come here to help. It shows that people care and we’re happy that everything is all right,” he said.

Even though Javier is spending much of his time helping clean up the debris and making repairs where he can, he enjoys taking a break from time to time play with the family dog Bonker.

“Some things are important like family, and he’s family,” Javier said as he bent over to scratch behind the ears of the tail-wagging member of the family.