Deployment to Alabama

Save the Children’s Greer Howell works on crafts with Grevzi, 5, in a child-friendly space in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Photo credit: Christine Prichard

When the tornadoes hit on Wednesday, April 27th, Save the Children immediately deployed a team of five REDI members within 48 hours. We hit the ground running and will continue our efforts until our help is no longer needed.

It’s hard to begin to describe what I’ve seen. The first day we drove to Tuscaloosa, which was one of the hardest hit areas. I remember my heart beating so fast. I thought I had prepared myself as best as I could for what I was about to see but I realize now — there is no way to be ready to see disaster on such a scale.

We drove down University Boulevard. The campus was beautiful, with manicured green lawns and historic brick buildings. I thought to myself, “Where is the devastation?” In an instant, we turned a corner and there it was. A neighborhood completely demolished, devastated and destroyed by the F5 tornado. The only thing left was randomly strewn furniture pieces, match sticks of what was once a house and clothes all piled up. This was what I saw as far as my eyes could see. Nothing could be salvaged for these people. Their memories and possessions were gone forever.

There are pockets of this massive devastation all throughout Alabama. I kept thinking about what a long way these people have to go before really feeling a sense of normalcy back in their lives. Where do you even begin to start the recovery and rebuilding process?

Our team worked around the clock to try to accomplish as much as possible every hour of every day. We opened Child-Friendly Spaces at a shelter in Holy Spirit and two low income housing projects, Crescent East and Rosedale. This provided a protective environment where children could spend time with other children to bring a sense of normalcy to their lives. The children I encountered were extremely fragile. They wanted to participate in any activity that would take their minds off of what their new life was now — living in a shelter, without a home and without any of their comforting objects nearby. They just wanted attention and someone to play with — it was as simple as that.

One boy was afraid to look at the sky. He made loud noises that I later found out were his reenactment of what the tornado sounded like. Another boy came up to me and simply asked if he could have a hug. And then there was the girl who I found hiding behind a building. Her nose was running and you could tell she had been crying. She didn’t speak at all. I asked her if she wanted to come make a necklace with me. She hesitantly shook her head and slowly followed behind me. For the next hour, I sat with her on the ground, holding the string as she put a bead on one at a time. I gave her a stuffed animal that she held so close to her side. When it was time to say goodbye, she smiled at me and gave me a hug. It is these moments and memories of my time in Alabama that I will never forget.

In addition to Child-Friendly Spaces, our staff purchased thousands of diapers and other supplies such as baby wipes, toys, books, mats, shoes and clothes to distribute to shelters and distribution centers across the entire state. I can’t begin to count how many thank you’s we received for our efforts. Every Alabaman is so incredibly grateful to see people from every corner of the nation coming to their sides to help. It is not taken for granted; in fact it is praised and acknowledged each and every time they receive support.

Although I would never wish this devastation upon anyone, the people of Alabama are joining together as a community; they are taking this opportunity to build back a better Alabama. The challenges that lie ahead are unimaginable but one day the flowers will begin to bloom again and these families affected by the tornadoes will begin a new life.