Your investment in the Tornado Relief Fund helped the Prior family recover

Your investment in the Tornado Relief Fund has made a huge impact in the lives of many families affected by the April 7, 2006 tornadoes.

United Way of Sumner County used your contribution to help victims get back on their feet. We did this by directing funds to Gallatin C.A.R.E.S., Hendersonville Samaritan Association and Goodlettsville Help Center since these organizations are equipped to assess critical needs. These agencies helped families with a variety of immediate needs.
The Prior family says they were overwhelmed by support from the community when their Nichols Lane home was completely demolished. Gallatin C.A.R.E.S. helped them on the long road to recovery. 

When the tornado was approaching, Leigh Anne was on the phone with her mother when she heard that dreaded train sound. She was home alone except for Pepper, their poodle. Her husband Steve was at work, and their three children, Kayley, 16, Josh, 15, and Ashley, 12, were all at school.

“My Mom told me to get into the downstairs bathroom,” said Leigh Anne. “I grabbed Pepper and some blankets and pillows and went to the bathroom. The wall started bouncing against my back. Pepper started being sucked out of my hands, so I grabbed his fur with both hands. Then I was on the ground.”

The tornado violently threw Leigh Anne approximately 50 feet and buried her under the remains of her home. As she began to realize what had happened she started to scream for help. But it was 15 minutes or so before anyone heard her because the gas main had been hissing loudly.

“The lower half of my body was trapped in all the debris. The more I panicked the more Pepper struggled to get out. There was a board with nails sticking out of it just above my face. That was the hand of God protecting me.”

Leigh Anne managed to push a piece of drywall aside, giving her a first glimpse of the extent of the devastation. She started hearing voices near her, so she called out for help. She was still terrified that a second tornado was about to hit.

“My first thought was, ‘This is it. I’m going to die. I was praying, thanking God that I was still alive. A man said he heard something but couldn’t tell where it was coming from. I stuck my hand out and waved it and said ‘I’m over here.’ He came over and grabbed my hand.”
Several men worked carefully to lift the debris off Leigh Anne, whose legs were contorted around the commode that she had been sitting next to only moments before. Meanwhile, her father, Bill Lillard, had rushed to the scene after his wife had sensed Leigh Anne was in trouble.

“When I first pulled into the neighborhood I didn’t see any damage. Then as I got closer I could see some debris in yards. I started getting a little worried. Then when I saw their house I couldn’t believe it. I just knew she had to be dead,” said Lillard.

As he got out of his car he saw some men walking nearby, and they directed Lillard to his daughter who was in serious pain. Lillard immediately drove Leigh Anne to the hospital. As he pulled up to the Emergency Room entrance, officials there tried to get them to move because they were in the middle of a mock disaster drill.

“We must have been the first ones there because they didn’t believe us at first. Then one of the nurses came over and checked out Leigh Anne and said, ‘This one’s for real!’ Then about 20 people surrounded her and started checking her out,” said Lillard.

Leigh Anne was admitted to the hospital with broken ribs, a severely bruised hip bone and numerous large 2X4 splinters in her back. Once her husband and the rest of her family were assured she would be OK they began to assess the damage to their home.

“I about lost my mind,” said Steve. “My mother-in-law called me at work and all she said was ‘Leigh Anne’s in the hospital and your house is gone’. Then she hung up crying. So I’m flying home thinking, ‘there ain’t no way…’ I mean, sometimes women exaggerate things. So I thought at the most the roof was blown off or something.”

“I knew Leigh Anne was OK. So it was really something to see what you’ve worked for for the last 10 years. Everything is destroyed in eight seconds.”

The home the Priors were living in was under a lease-purchase agreement. They only had renters insurance that paid out a total of $27,000. But they had invested much more than that in the property. They lost everything, including Leigh Anne’s car, which still had an outstanding loan balance of $900 and an outbuilding for which they still owed $1,600.

At this point the Priors were in a financial crisis. They turned to Gallatin C.A.R.E.S. for help. C.A.R.E.S. Director Jane Murray worked with the Priors to pay off the $2,500 they owed, and she covered their utility bills for two months.

“If we didn’t have this help we’d be in trouble,” said Steve.

Leigh Anne adds, “When I talked to (Jane) and she told me everything they were going to do I was tickled to death. You really have to humble yourself when you get knocked off your feet. But once you’ve been helped you’ve got to get up and give to someone else.”