Instead of preparing for Christmas, a family is planning a funeral for a loved one lost during the deadly Kentucky tornadoes last weekend.Jill Monroe, 52, had just moved to Mayfield, Kentucky, a few months ago and was working at the candle factory Friday night when the tornado moved through."She had sent me a text at 9:27 Friday night that she was taking shelter in the bathroom, and that the storms were bad, and for us to stay aware here," said Heather McFuggin, Monroe's sister.Chris Chism, Monroe's son, said she texted this: "It's here. It's bad and I'm scared." He said he spent the evening texting with her, but then suddenly she stopped responding. The next few hours were spent waiting, watching and wondering what happened.Chism and his family spent hours trying to get in touch with his mother. All they knew was that she was working at the Mayfield factory, which was in the direct path of the deadly tornado.Here's how you can help the victims of the tornadoes"I called 43 times. From the moment we found out until that next morning when her phone died," Chism said.After unanswered calls and hours of waiting, Chism and his wife, Paige, hit the road Saturday morning. On the drive to Mayfield, they learned the candle factory had been leveled, but still no news about his mother."We got there and spent a couple hours at the candle factory. They wouldn't let us down close enough to really see anything, but we were there," he said.He said he eventually got in touch with his mom's co-worker and friend, and learned his mother spent her final moments helping her coworkers to safety."She said, 'The last time I saw your mom, she ran into the last stall and took a bunch of people in there with her and we all laid down and tried to hold on,' and she said that's the last time I saw her," Chism said. Sunday afternoon, Chism said the coroner's office confirmed his mother was one of the eight people who died in the candle factory."You know, you don't really ever think that anything bad is actually going to happen," he said. "It's tough. Very, very tough."More than 100 people were working on holiday candle orders when the twister leveled the facility. The company later said many employees who survived left the site and went to homes with no phone service, adding to the confusion over who was missing.Since then, all workers have been accounted for, according to state and local officials who have spoken to the company.Mayfield, which is home to 10,000 residents and the candle factory, suffered some of the worst damage in the country. The tornadoes that killed at least 88 people — 74 of them in Kentucky — cut a path of devastation from Arkansas, where a nursing home was destroyed, to Illinois, where an Amazon distribution center was heavily damaged.Monroe's family is working with the coroner to get the 52-year-old's body back to Oldham County, Kentucky. A GoFundMe has been set up to help with the funeral expenses. Click here for more information on how to help the family.
Instead of preparing for Christmas, a family is planning a funeral for a loved one lost during the deadly Kentucky tornadoes last weekend.
Jill Monroe, 52, had just moved to Mayfield, Kentucky, a few months ago and was working at the candle factory Friday night when the tornado moved through.
"She had sent me a text at 9:27 Friday night that she was taking shelter in the bathroom, and that the storms were bad, and for us to stay aware here," said Heather McFuggin, Monroe's sister.
Chris Chism, Monroe's son, said she texted this: "It's here. It's bad and I'm scared."
He said he spent the evening texting with her, but then suddenly she stopped responding.
The next few hours were spent waiting, watching and wondering what happened.
Chism and his family spent hours trying to get in touch with his mother. All they knew was that she was working at the Mayfield factory, which was in the direct path of the deadly tornado.
Here's how you can help the victims of the tornadoes
"I called 43 times. From the moment we found out until that next morning when her phone died," Chism said.
After unanswered calls and hours of waiting, Chism and his wife, Paige, hit the road Saturday morning. On the drive to Mayfield, they learned the candle factory had been leveled, but still no news about his mother.
"We got there and spent a couple hours at the candle factory. They wouldn't let us down close enough to really see anything, but we were there," he said.
He said he eventually got in touch with his mom's co-worker and friend, and learned his mother spent her final moments helping her coworkers to safety.
"She said, 'The last time I saw your mom, she ran into the last stall and took a bunch of people in there with her and we all laid down and tried to hold on,' and she said that's the last time I saw her," Chism said.
Sunday afternoon, Chism said the coroner's office confirmed his mother was one of the eight people who died in the candle factory.
"You know, you don't really ever think that anything bad is actually going to happen," he said. "It's tough. Very, very tough."
More than 100 people were working on holiday candle orders when the twister leveled the facility. The company later said many employees who survived left the site and went to homes with no phone service, adding to the confusion over who was missing.
Since then, all workers have been accounted for, according to state and local officials who have spoken to the company.
Mayfield, which is home to 10,000 residents and the candle factory, suffered some of the worst damage in the country. The tornadoes that killed at least 88 people — 74 of them in Kentucky — cut a path of devastation from Arkansas, where a nursing home was destroyed, to Illinois, where an Amazon distribution center was heavily damaged.
Monroe's family is working with the coroner to get the 52-year-old's body back to Oldham County, Kentucky. A GoFundMe has been set up to help with the funeral expenses. Click here for more information on how to help the family.
Source link
