Western KY Tornado

[WonderMonkey 727]

As many in our area know, there was a tornado that the went through several states, with parts of Western KY being hit hardest.  Late Friday evening myself and others from my organization went down to help.  On Saturday I was part of the K9 team (a "not good" result was found) and on Sunday I went with the chainsaw crew to help make roads passable.  While there I took some photos.  These photos don't even come close to showing the devastation that happened to the area.  All photos were from the area where we were searching for a missing female child, which was found (deceased).

 

Below is the path of the tornado, followed by my photos.  What looks like piles of "whatever" were once houses.  A photo looking across a bit of water on a hill that looks kindof clear is an area that was just picked clean by the winds and thrown elsewhere.  Several vehicles blown out of garages and rolled down hills.  Boats turned over in the water.

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by WonderMonkey

[jeepwm69 7,751]

Awful.  I was reading a few days ago about some of the more powerful tornadoes that have hit the US, then this one hit.

 

Someone at church yesterday said it was on the ground for 250 miles. 

 

Very sad.  Lives lost, and livelihoods for those who were lucky enough to survive.  

[WonderMonkey 727]

1 hour ago, jeepwm69 said:

Awful.  I was reading a few days ago about some of the more powerful tornadoes that have hit the US, then this one hit.

 

Someone at church yesterday said it was on the ground for 250 miles. 

 

Very sad.  Lives lost, and livelihoods for those who were lucky enough to survive.  

 

I knew it was 200+ in length, I'm sure they will get more detailed on that number as time goes on.  Two of the lives lost were a man and his daughter.  The man was found quickly but the reason WE were at this location was to find the daughter.  I won't spell out the whole process but in the end the K9 I accompany hit on a location and eventually, through man power and a backhoe, uncovered down to a utility trailer that had blown through the house.  The dog hit again so I crawled under the trailer and near the back I noticed part of a small shirt sleeve in the color she was wearing visible through a bunch of debris.  I backed out and informed the DNR that was onsite and I and my K9 crew walked up the hill.  They distracted the mom (who was onsite) and the backhoe hooked up to the trailer and lifted the front end.  The DNR person examined what I had found and confirmed it was the girl, deceased.  Our director made eye contact with me and nodded to indicate it was her.  At that time, I said goodbye to the K9 crew, sent the director a text, and left to come home to be with my family.  I was destroyed for a while and still now I'm really down about it.  I'll recover just fine, but it was tough.  If the DNR person had not been there, it would have been me or another person in our group that would have confirmed it was her.  I would not have hesitated but I'm glad I didn't have to do this one.

Edited December 13, 2021 by WonderMonkey

[LedFTed 1,143]

its already being blamed its because of global warming, and that more people had died as a result. well; there are just more people now. 2 million, round about, have been added since the last presidential election. in calafornia, they build over a fault line. in ky, they allow people to build in a flood plain. its money, big money an politics, that kill the most.. you could hear the warning sirens a few years ago of an approaching tornado, that stopped because of thieves stealing copper an such. they stole the wire going to the warning speakers. the state, or the feds wont replace it. so much for warnings!! if my brother hadn't brought his girls down in the basement, i wouldn't have known there was tornado warnings. my bro-in-law, next door said he heard the tornado. aint that wild? i heard the path might be as long as 250 miles also, maybe more than 5 states..

Edited December 14, 2021 by LedFTed

[LedFTed 1,143]

the storm keeps hitting closer to home than i thought. my brother HAD a tarp with 6 poles over his tractor an bushhog, plus his zero turn. bent all 6 poles, and i dont know about the tarp part on top. nevermind, just flipped it over, did bend some poles..

My friend david, had a 3000.oo  hunting camper, at rough river, storage, he thinks its toast. no insurance. Pontoons and high dollar boats were all strung out all over the place.. was a rough one, the tornado..

 

[PROV 1,443]

Wonder.. sorry you had to go through that and happy you were willing to help. Pretty bad for everyone that had to go through this.

[56Sierra 1,845]

8 hours ago, PROV said:

Wonder.. sorry you had to go through that and happy you were willing to help. Pretty bad for everyone that had to go through this.

Ditto on the above.  We've decided our kids are getting dontations to the American Red Cross for Christmas this year.  There are hundreds of not thousands of folks that aren't even getting a warm dry bed for the holidays.  I can't go there to help but I can give a donation to those that can.

[Bighanded 1,234]

copy that Wonder...hard hard thing to experience. but you're a good man to have stepped up to help.

 

long time friends live in Paducah...bout 9 miles from Mayfield...I had prepped my home to receive them here when he pinged me last evening to tell me the power was restored for them...they'd been huddling through the 28 degrees since Saturday and limited comms...but he is grateful to have not had direct impact from the twister.

 

he said it was a mess, but seeing your pictures really brings it to reality.

 

[ATC4ever 1,090]

Sorry to read it was not a good ending. Breaks my heart to think of the last moments of that poor child. 😢 

Its mind boggling how much damage there was.... stay safe you ones affected.

[jeepwm69 7,751]

17 hours ago, WonderMonkey said:

 

I knew it was 200+ in length, I'm sure they will get more detailed on that number as time goes on.  Two of the lives lost were a man and his daughter.  The man was found quickly but the reason WE were at this location was to find the daughter.  I won't spell out the whole process but in the end the K9 I accompany hit on a location and eventually, through man power and a backhoe, uncovered down to a utility trailer that had blown through the house.  The dog hit again so I crawled under the trailer and near the back I noticed part of a small shirt sleeve in the color she was wearing visible through a bunch of debris.  I backed out and informed the DNR that was onsite and I and my K9 crew walked up the hill.  They distracted the mom (who was onsite) and the backhoe hooked up to the trailer and lifted the front end.  The DNR person examined what I had found and confirmed it was the girl, deceased.  Our director made eye contact with me and nodded to indicate it was her.  At that time, I said goodbye to the K9 crew, sent the director a text, and left to come home to be with my family.  I was destroyed for a while and still now I'm really down about it.  I'll recover just fine, but it was tough.  If the DNR person had not been there, it would have been me or another person in our group that would have confirmed it was her.  I would not have hesitated but I'm glad I didn't have to do this one.

 

That's awful WM.  Glad you were there to help, but no one should have to see a child taken. 

 

Makes me sick thinking about it.  I'm sorry you had to go through that.  Can't imagine what the mother is going through.

[bcsman 1,409]

I don't think there is any amount of training that could prepare you to witness what Wonder and those involved in the rescue and recovery did.  I honestly don't know if I could handle a situation like this but certainly glad there are those who step up to the plate.  This is especially true if you are in a similar life threatening situation.....

[LedFTed 1,143]

i watched my sisters baby, choke to death, before i was 20. it takes a long time to get over that, for some. my grandma, lost two kids out of 11. it musta been harder for her. if your ever in Butler co., ky. go to a grave yard. so many kids died. [neer Peabody's coal mine, wk parkway}, KY.  was the early 1900's.

ain't quite fond of [Peabody, an the company store]. coal.. keep ya poor, an dependent..

still the way..

Edited December 27, 2021 by LedFTed

[jeepwm69 7,751]

10 hours ago, LedFTed said:

i watched my sisters baby, choke to death, before i was 20. it takes a long time to get over that, for some. my grandma, lost two kids out of 11. it musta been harder for her. if your ever in Butler co., ky. go to a grave yard. so many kids died. [neer Peabody's coal mine, wk parkway}, KY.  was the early 1900's.

ain't quite fond of [Peabody, an the company store]. coal.. keep ya poor, an dependent..

still the way..

 

Yeah, I remember taking my kids on a walk and we went through the old cemetery in our town.  Lots and lots of babies and kids died young back then.  Spanish flu and a host of other illnesses. 

[WonderMonkey 727]

On 12/13/2021 at 11:28 PM, PROV said:

Wonder.. sorry you had to go through that and happy you were willing to help. Pretty bad for everyone that had to go through this.

 

Thanks.  I make myself do these things as I feel the pain of my effort (schedule, sleep, body hurting) is less than what they and other disasters go through.

[WonderMonkey 727]

On 12/14/2021 at 10:33 AM, ATC4ever said:

Sorry to read it was not a good ending. Breaks my heart to think of the last moments of that poor child. 😢 

Its mind boggling how much damage there was.... stay safe you ones affected.

 

It was thought that the trailer was blown through the house and that's why she was under it.  I can only hope that the initial impact relieved her from any following pain.

[WonderMonkey 727]

On 12/14/2021 at 3:43 PM, bcsman said:

I don't think there is any amount of training that could prepare you to witness what Wonder and those involved in the rescue and recovery did.  I honestly don't know if I could handle a situation like this but certainly glad there are those who step up to the plate.  This is especially true if you are in a similar life threatening situation.....

 

The ONLY thing that can possibly help, but not prepare, is going through it over and over.  You talk yourself into be desensitized to it the best you can.  I've seen death in the military, but those were people actively engaged in what we were doing, not children or those not involved.  In reality, I COULDN'T handle it, but I got through it because someone had to crawl under that trailer.  When it was confirmed that it was her, I texted my director and I left.  I pulled over (eventually) when I had cell service and called my wife and sat there and cried for a bit.

[WonderMonkey 727]

17 hours ago, LedFTed said:

i watched my sisters baby, choke to death, before i was 20. it takes a long time to get over that, for some. my grandma, lost two kids out of 11. it musta been harder for her. if your ever in Butler co., ky. go to a grave yard. so many kids died. [neer Peabody's coal mine, wk parkway}, KY.  was the early 1900's.

ain't quite fond of [Peabody, an the company store]. coal.. keep ya poor, an dependent..

still the way..

 

Terrible watching your sister's baby choke.  It would be a helpless feeling.

 

I first became aware of Peabody's coal in John Prine's song called "Paradise", which included Peabody's trains, Muhlenberg County, etc.

 

When I was a child my family would travel
Down to Western Kentucky where my parents were born
And there's a backwards old town that's often remembered
So many times that my memories are worn.

And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away

Well, sometimes we'd travel right down the Green River
To the abandoned old prison down by Airdrie Hill
Where the air smelled like snakes and we'd shoot with our pistols
But empty pop bottles was all we would kill.

And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away

Then the coal company came with the world's largest shovel
And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land
Well, they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken
Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man.

And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away

When I die let my ashes float down the Green River
Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester dam
I'll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise waitin'
Just five miles away from wherever I am.

And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away

[Fishfiles 20,147]

Wow , talking about children dying at Christmas time brings up bad memories  for me , my cousin was born on Christmas Day ,  when she was 8 years old on her birthday , Christmas morning , her Dad , my great uncle , my Grandmother's brother ,  had a heart attack and passed away , when his wife , my great aunt went into the room and found him dead  , she had a heart attack and she died also , same day , same room , my cousin found them both , she went to live with our aunt who never had any children of her own and my aunt  Linda and her husband Michael adopted Debbie , then the aunt got pregnant and had twins of her own , then another boy after  that , my cousin Debbie committed suicide when she turned 18 years old on her birthday which was Christmas 

[WonderMonkey 727]

1 hour ago, Fishfiles said:

Wow , talking about children dying at Christmas time brings up bad memories  for me , my cousin was born on Christmas Day ,  when she was 8 years old on her birthday , Christmas morning , her Dad , my great uncle , my Grandmother's brother ,  had a heart attack and passed away , when his wife , my great aunt went into the room and found him dead  , she had a heart attack and she died also , same day , same room , my cousin found them both , she went to live with our aunt who never had any children of her own and my aunt  Linda and her husband Michael adopted Debbie , then the aunt got pregnant and had twins of her own , then another boy after  that , my cousin Debbie committed suicide when she turned 18 years old on her birthday which was Christmas 

 

So much death to follow death, and years of anguish for your cousin.  It's too bad she couldn't resolve what she found and went through.

[WonderMonkey 727]

This an upbeat and cheery thread!

 

No?  Agreed.

[bcsman 1,409]

5 hours ago, WonderMonkey said:

This an upbeat and cheery thread!

 

No?  Agreed.

Unfortunately many families have a story to tell that has sad endings....

[LedFTed 1,143]

^^^^ Better to talk about it then hide it. one of my older sisters killed herself over spinal pain. she went to one of those quick fix IMO laser surgeons, it made her pain worse.. i accepted her death OK because i know whats its like, pain, with no relief in site. in other words, i dont judge her. some are stronger then others. she couldnt ride up the driveway here, because it was lumpy.

surgery is dangerous enough, on the spine, i have read up some on those lazer spine clinics, and not all are to be trusted. same with the eyes..

got to admit its been a couple of years or so. they might be better now..