Powerful storms ripped through northern Dallas and 16 other counties in the DFW area overnight on October 20, 2019. The National Weather Service confirmed that a grand total of 10 tornadoes touched ground and wreaked havoc in neighborhoods and towns. Homes were destroyed, businesses leveled, and cars dented from impact damage due to debris and hail.
Texas Governor Declares State of Disaster for Affected Counties
Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a state of disaster for the counties that were affected by these powerful storms. This action allows for state resources to be readily available for local officials and waives regulations about seeking out-of-state aid.
These counties are working hard to rebuild homes, replace and repair roof damage, restore electricity to homes and businesses. The Texas counties affected are ensuring that those who were displaced by the storms are able to get essential resources such as food and shelter. Despite all of the chaos and disaster, some incredible stories have come to light, showing the resilience of the human spirit.
Singing in The Rain
Sunday night, heavy rain and wind whipped around a home in Dallas, Texas. Dustin and Lauren Collins were about to go to bed when a tornado warning flashed on Dustin’s phone. The shrieking winds slamming the sides of the house-made him realize the danger was imminent, and they rushed to a bathroom with their 8-month-old son. To keep him and themselves calm, they sang songs. Thankfully, the tornado never touched the house and instead just left a line of debris scattered through their yard.
A Whirlwind of a Birthday
The morning and afternoon before the storms were absolutely gorgeous. Bright sunshine and warm weather, Mother Nature hid well the dangerous line of cells that were moving in on the DFW area. At the Bump Birthing Center in Rowlett, Texas, a mother was preparing to give birth to her baby girl. The child was a week overdue, and she was anxious to meet her. Little did the mother know that her child would have one amazing welcoming party.
About 10 PM, just as the mother was going into labor, the weather outside went from bad to worse. The skies were darkening, the wind was howling and slapping against the center, and the power went out. The National Weather Service sent warnings to every cell phone in the area. A tornado had touched down and was heading right towards the center.
The staff quickly went into action and turned the safest place in the center, a laundry room, into a fully-staffed birthing room. Here, in the dark by candlelight, the mother gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl she named Sekani. Today, both the daughter and the mother are doing fine and have one incredible story to tell.
A Hero Left Standing
A Home Depot on Forest Lane was completely destroyed Sunday night when a tornado ripped through the northern Dallas area.
Out of the store’s 160 staff members, none of them was hurt when the store’s roof collapsed, thanks to the quick thinking of Assistant Store Manager Jordan Jasper. He sent all of his employees home before the storm hit. His actions saved the lives of his employees as the only thing left standing among the rubble was an American flag, flying untouched.
People need a place to go, something to work towards to get them through hard times. With this attitude in mind, Jordan went a step further and told his employees to report to neighboring stores. This allowed these workers to continue putting in the much needed hours to feed their families.
These employees also took up the call of duty and have continued to help the rest of their community rebuild after the store. When they are not working, they are volunteering to clean up and building restoration efforts.
What happened to that American flag? Home Depot gave it to Jordan Jasper, commemorating his heroic actions.
United We Stand
The human spirit is resilient and courageous. When people work together, beauty can be found in the worst of tragedies. The storms that ripped through the DFW area may have left a path of destruction, but it could never destroy the heart of our community.
Contact Us for Your Roofing Services
Acme Roof Systems is dedicated to helping families rebuild after the storm. If your roof was damaged or your home destroyed, our specialists offer incredible roof repair, replacement, and home renovation services. Community service, and heart, that is the Acme Roof Systems, Inc way. Contact us today for more information and to join a team that puts the community first.