Marylanders Reach Out To Southern Tornado Victims
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (WJZ)—The greatest natural disaster in this country since Hurricane Katrina continues to overwhelm many Southern communities.
Alex DeMetrick reports relief for tornado victims now has Marylanders reaching out to help.
"We saw plenty of places where it was just foundations left, and mountains and mounds of debris," said Michael Worsely, of World Vision.
The Christian humanitarian organization World Vision began bagging up supplies at its warehouse in Prince George's County. The Maryland center is focusing on tornado victims in Virginia and North Carolina. Another in Texas is concentrating on Alabama.
"The people are very resilient," said Craig Warner, World Vision. "They're working-class people. They rely on each other, their family and friends."
But sometimes even that support was blown away. A World Vision video found part of Teresa Perry's house in the woods. She was trapped in the home's rubble.
"My husband, I heard him. He said 'Teresa, come and help me. Please, come and help me.' I said 'Robert, I gotta get out of this hole first,'" Perry said.
"And when she was finally able to get to him, he was dead," Worsley said. "There was an aunt in the house who was dead."
The advance team from PG County is just back.
"There's going to be long-term rebuilding that's going to take place," Worsley said.
World Vision's first contact with tornado victims was basically a scouting operation.
"By looking at a 90-day plan to help with recovery efforts and then a year plan as far as rebuilding efforts," Warner said.
What isn't on hand at World Vision's Maryland warehouse will have to be found, either in manufacturer donations or cash contributions.
What was lost in minutes is now a long haul to restore.
Like a number of nonprofits, World Vision can't help with the rebuilding alone.
Those interested in helping can click here or call 1-888-56-CHILD.
