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Boone resident in Kentucky helping with Tornado recovery efforts
Boone, NC native Elliott Willis is one of the hundreds of volunteers clearing debris and providing assistance to tornado victims.
MAYFIELD, Ky. — The tornado that tore its way through western Kentucky has broken the record for the longest tornado track in the state’s history.
The data shows the tornado that went through Mayfield on Monday was more than two times the length of the previous record.
According to the data from the National Weather Service, this tornado was on the ground for 163.6 miles. The previous record was set in April 1974. That tornado traveled 79 miles.
Organizations from all over the country, including Samaritan Purse, are on the ground assisting people with the cleanup.
We spoke with Elliott Willis, a native of Boone, and Samaritan’s Purse volunteer for an update on the rescue efforts.
“We’ve had teams in the field the past three days, and those volunteers have gone out and seen just a lot of devastation, a lot of hurt and pain, and we just want to bring that hope back to homeowners who might have lost everything or have lost loved ones as well,” Willis said.
Willis and his fellow volunteers have one mission, and it’s simple: Do whatever needs to be done to get these families back on their feet.
“Samaritan’s purse provides the opportunity for roofs to be tarped,” Willis said. “We will remove personal belongings if that’s a need. Also, we will clean up the yard debris, and cutting up trees, basically cleaning up, and make sure debris is picked up and getting the homeowner back in their home as soon as possible.”
If you’d like to donate to the U.S. Disaster Relief Fund or learn more about Samaritan’s Purse, just click right here.