Homeowners assess damage, begin cleanup

DARDEN, Tenn. — A Henderson County homeowner, like many, is dealing with significant home damage that holds potential danger.

“Thank God that everything turned out, that we’re okay, and materialistic things can be replaced,” said Darden homeowner Beth Tulley.

Heavy winds tore through many homes in the southeast Saturday, including Tulley’s home.

Some areas saw wind gusts that ranged from 50 to 75 miles per hour.

The storm caught her and her family off guard.

“I was awake with my daughter, and she heard a lot of clanging outside, and we didn’t know what was going on,” Tulley said. “We got the baby into the bathtub to get her to safety.”

“At first, I didn’t realize that the storm was hitting. I heard something hit my bedroom window, and, come to find out, it was part of the dog pen that hit it,” Tulley said.

Tulley, among others in her area, lost power during the storm, but the lights were back on by the afternoon.

She isn’t sure how much the damage to her house will cost to repair.

“The carport, the dog kennel, and the dog pens are all blown away. We have three trees down, and that’s just some of the cleanup we have to do,” Tulley said.

Her major concern right now is her car port.

“The garage is being held up by literally nothing right now. Hopefully it doesn’t come down,” Tulley said.

Despite the storm, she’s grateful for another thing.

“The dog got out, but she came back to the house.”

While Tulley is glad she and her family weathered the storm, she hopes others are doing OK too.