Dresden residents look to the plus side during tornado cleanup
DRESDEN, Tenn. — On Dec. 10, communities in West Tennessee were struck by powerful tornadoes.
The area of Dresden was hit by an EF-3 tornado, leaving damage and debris for miles. Now, community members are coming together to clean up their city.
“The desires of my heart, ever since I heard about the tornadoes that hit this area, is to go and do whatever I can to help these people,” said Teddy Butler, a volunteer.
Some community members needed a little more help than others, like Jerry Rachels who says there was nothing left of his business when he arrived.
“About the state it’s in now. Only about five times as big. It was piled up, just one big rubble. There was nothing standing,” Rachels said.
And while losing his business was heartbreaking, Rachels says there was one plus side.
“It was devastating of course, but my first thought when I drove onto the site and saw it was, ‘This was only material goods. This was just stuff,'” Rachels said.
Rachels was grateful his family and employees were safe, but he questioned how many others were when he arrived in the city on the following Saturday morning.
“My family was safe, my workers were safe, but when I came through the first two houses I saw were where some friends of mine lived, and I wondered if they were still alive,” Rachels said.
But volunteers say the destruction is even worse in person.
“There’s so much devastation. I had seen it on the TV, but being here is totally different,” Butler said.
Rachels says community members from across the country have came to help out over the past week, and they will continue to help in the future.
“The outpouring of compassion has been fantastic. If there is a blessing in this, that’s been it,” Rachels said.
Rachels says the cleanup process is moving along nicely and there is plenty of help.
“I think it has gone real well. We’ve salvaged some things. I’m hoping in a few more days we’ll have it all cleaned up,” Rachels said.
The cleanup process in Dresden is not a short one, and the city still has a ways to go. They are encouraging everyone to come help.
“I want to encourage others, that if you have some time and if you are able, to come and to help us. But most of all, keep us in your prayers,” Butler said.
You can find more local news through the WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News app.
