Bryant community helps clean up after tornado damage

PEORIA (25News Now) - Residents of a small Fulton County town picked up the pieces of their homes and lives following devastating tornado damage in the area.

The Salvation Army in Fulton County said there are 20 to 30 families displaced by Tuesday night’s storm. The damage is obvious, some homes are without roofs, shingles are scattered across the ground, and large pieces of metal siding could be found high up in broken trees.

84-year-old Donald Brown and his wife hid in their basement as the storm barreled through the area. They didn’t have time to make it to the basement. Tree branches broke through their windows, scattering glass inside the home. Their sunroom detached itself from the house and ended up in a pile about ten feet out from the building.

“All heck broke loose, it started blowing big time,” Brown said. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”

Several residents are still in the shock according to Sarah Nottle with the Salvation Army. They were providing food, resources, and sometimes shelter for those families in need.

Wednesday was mostly a day for assessing and cleaning up the damage. Brown was taking pictures for his insurance company when he saw a group launch into action.

“A schooner of college baseball players, like 12 or 15 of them came with chainsaws and start hauling stuff away and cutting and piling,” Brown said. “They did a good job.”

The community spirit isn’t just helping clean up in the storm’s aftermath, but it may have saved lives when the danger blew into town.

“There wasn’t a need for emergency shelter... because everyone either took people in or they had family close by enough that they were able to go to,” Nottle said.

She said the Salvation Army will stay in town as long as they are needed. Brown expressed optimism that the town will rebuild.

“We will survive,” he said.