Northwest Ohio Tornado Tragedy

Hey friends,
I just want to share something that's been weighing heavy on my heart for the last several days and ask for your prayers and support. On Saturday, June 5th, several tornados ravaged through Northwest Ohio where I am from. 5 died in this terrible storm including Mary Walters and her 5-year old son Hayden. The Walters family of four, Ryan, Mary, Maddison, and Hayden, were asleep when sirens sounded and were unable to find cover. This is a family from my church, which also suffered extensive damage in the storm. Mary was found in the front yard of her home, while Hayden was tossed several hundred yards away into the backyard field. Our pastor had to go identify his body as dad Ryan and sister Maddie remain in critical condition at the hospital I work for. Several others died in this terrible storm including Bailey Bowman, 20, a mother of one, who was killed after she was picked up by the tornado outside the Lake Township police building. Her boyfriend, Gerald Lathrop, who is also the father of her child, was driving. He was also hurled by the high winds and slammed against the brick wall of the township building. He fell to the ground between two large landscaping boulders. The tornado ripped apart the building, but the boulders protected him from a falling wall. Here's a photograph of the Township building:


http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs...&Maxh=800&Q=95
A photograph of the Walters family's street. One other death occured on this street. Ted Kranz, father of three, who left the basement during the storm to check on the generator. His home collapsed on him. His daughter spent the afternoon swimming at our house on Saturday:
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs...&Maxh=800&Q=95
Ted's daughter was also the valedictorian of theLake High School class of 2010, in which commencement was set to take place the following afternoon. This is our school:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8021538_n.jpg

These photographs represent just the start of the damage. Our church family has been working around the clock providing meals and supplies to the victims. We've been organizing groups to go sift through the rubble of the Walters' family home as they have plans to buldoze the site shortly and with Ryan and Maddie still in the hospital, noone from their immediate family is available to recover any personal belongings that survived the wreck. This is Mary and Hayden:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-a...10_7592973.jpg
Please remember that Ryan and Maddie are still out there though, clinging to life. We need all the prayers we can get for this family:
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs021...._6912947_n.jpg

Since this group of people here on DWT/WDWRadio are about the kindest people I know outside of my own family, I ask for your thoughts and prayers. I have been wanting to find a way to help this family and since Disney is something so very close to my heart and your hearts, I'm currently trying to raise support so that in the future, we might send Ryan and Maddie on a trip. If anyone is interested, please contact me through facebook. Natalie Phillips Heilman.
Thank you again for your love ans support, prayers and pixie dust, during the toughest time this community has ever faced.
Nat
YouTube - June 5th Tornado Memorial

Right now I feel as though anything I say will be so inadequate that I barely know where to begin to express the sorrow I feel for the dead, the suffering, the survivors left to cope and rebuild, and all of y'all and your whole community.
Just know that all of y'all are in our deepest thoughts and prayers and let us know, when you can, anything else we can do.

Thank you Mr. Mr. Steve

Natalie, I would be more than happy to help out in any way possible. I can't imagine what ya'll are going through right now, and I'm so sorry for your losses. Please keep us posted on what we need to do.

TONS of prayers and pixie dust flying your way!!

Right now, they're accepting any kinds of donations but are mostly in need of gift cards and monetary gifts to give to the victims. Anywhere from 50-100 families were displaced, several of their homes leveled. Contact me personally for more info. I don't wanna use the site inappropriately to solicit but your help is SOOO appreciated!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StarsNStripes

Right now, they're accepting any kinds of donations but are mostly in need of gift cards and monetary gifts to give to the victims. Anywhere from 50-100 families were displaced, several of their homes leveled. Contact me personally for more info. I don't wanna use the site inappropriately to solicit but your help is SOOO appreciated!

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No problem! Be glad to do it! I'm on Facebook as well.

Everyone is in my thoughts and prayers during this horrible time.

Terrible tragedy, prayers to all.

How devastating, my prayers go out to Mary and Haydens family and friends and to you and the members of their church. Prayers and pixie dust also to Ryan and Maddison for a physical and emotional recovery. It will be a long process but with friends like you I'm sure it will make the healing a little easier. :grouphug:

thoughts and prayers go out to their family and so many others.. im on facebook please i would love to do anything to help

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>http://cdn-aki.vmixcore.com/61/56/25...5c1f750d86.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD>http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/hug620.jpg IL photos of same storm system. So sad.

This storm was horrible. It came through IL before it went onto do so much damage also in OH. IL has taken inmates out of the prison to do clean up and today bridge loans are out until insurance companies begin to settle. Bless them all, it is going to take a long time for these areas to recover.
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Thank you everyone for your continued support, thoughts and prayers. Be sure to contact me on facebook if you would like to find a way to help these families!