Many of the people we serve through our Disaster Services are already in need of assistance in their day-to-day when a tornado, flood, earthquake, fire, or hurricane hits. With every disaster, our neighbors show us the power of resilience: trusting in God, their families, their communities, and themselves that they will recover. What a blessing it is when we get to witness them doing just that! One example of a survivor’s resilience is in the story of a husband and wife from Charleston, Kentucky.
J and D are both in their nineties and were asleep when a tornado hit their farmhouse in May of 2024. They had no warning, no time to seek shelter, and could only lay in bed as their entire house was destroyed around them—all except the bedroom they were sleeping in, miraculously left intact enough to protect them (pictured in E-Gazette). Since the loss of their home, they found an assisted living facility to move into, but had no furniture or housewares, and both had additional needs due to health and mobility concerns. Fortunately, J and D had the advantage of a strong and caring community.
The couple’s family connected with the local St. Vincent de Paul conference, which was able to provide two twin beds, appropriate bedding, and two lift chairs. “They are very supported by their family,” said a Vincentian who aided the couple. “Other neighbors even called to tell me how special they are to the community.”
The couple has struggled with their health since the storm, and one complicating factor is husband J’s dementia, the symptoms of which worsened with the stress of being displaced. Our Vincentian explained how moving into this new facility with necessities provided by the St. Vincent de Paul Society allows them to move forward. “Getting them into a home today is going to help them get stabilized,” she said. “I am so happy to get this couple into a safe and comfortable place with the help of SVdP!”
Our neighbors are tough, and we are blessed to witness their resilience as we assist them through disaster relief.
Yours in Christ,
The Disaster Services Team