Written by Bornain Chiu
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Adriana DiBenedetto
On the night of May 16, 2025, a devastating EF4 tornado swept through the cities of Somerset and London, Kentucky, leaving a heartbreaking path of destruction in its wake, claiming at least 19 lives, and injuring 10 more. As of June 2025, the tornado has been deemed the deadliest to occur in 2025, and is the deadliest overall since another EF4 tornado in 2021, often referred to as the Western Kentucky tornado. The violent May 2025 tornado emerged as part of a major tornado outbreak that spanned from May 15–16.
With this, a team of three Tzu Chi volunteers from the Columbus Service Center departed for London, Kentucky, on May 26, during the Memorial Day holiday. After a four-hour drive, the team, consisting of Bornain Chiu, Henglin Wang, and Teh-Hong Lee, arrived at the Red Cross Operations Center in London. Tzu Chi USA’s Midwest Region coordinated this assessment operation in collaboration with the Kentucky Red Cross. Veteran Red Cross volunteer Patty Flowers and Lynne Washbish, Executive Director of the Red Cross Bluegrass Chapter, accompanied the Tzu Chi volunteers to survey the most severely impacted areas.
Tzu Chi volunteers listen as veteran Red Cross volunteer Patty Flowers (center) and Red Cross Bluegrass Chapter Executive Director Lynne Washbish (left) describe the extensive tornado damage in the affected neighborhood. Photo/Bornain Chiu
The Tornado’s Severe Impact
A Red Cross report on May 23 confirmed that more than 530 homes in Kentucky and Missouri were either destroyed or severely damaged by this recent tornado outbreak, and relief efforts have been ongoing to provide critical support to survivors.
The tornado’s terrible strength causes extensive damage to buildings and trees. Photo/Bornain Chiu
Following their arrival, the Tzu Chi team met with Patty Flowers and Lynne Washbish to review disaster response efforts. According to Washbish, 20 to 25 Red Cross volunteers were local, while the rest had traveled from across the country to help. Flowers added, “We have about 109 on the ground right now.”
“With the constant floods and tornadoes, we had to come,” shared Washbish. As the two organizations exchanged their disaster response experiences and assessment photos, Flowers expressed relief at seeing Tzu Chi volunteers again, recalling their collaboration in North Carolina, and was comforted knowing that Tzu Chi would bring its care to Kentucky as well.
Washbish also shared that she had previously partnered with Tzu Chi in Kentucky during supply distributions and holds great confidence in Tzu Chi’s capacity to lift up disaster-affected communities once again.
A Shared Spirit of Service
Patty Flowers emphasized that most of the Red Cross workforce are volunteers, and despite the challenges, she remains ever committed. Teh-Hong Lee deeply resonated with this conviction, sharing that upon joining Tzu Chi, he felt it was a match made for life.
That’s why it’s so easy for us to partner with you all: Because we all know what we’re doing here, and why we’re kind of in the same footsteps.
Before heading into the affected areas, Patty Flowers and Lynne Washbish briefed the Tzu Chi team on the current operations. The Red Cross had set up a mobile operations center in the hardest-hit area. They also introduced the center’s functions and divisions, and shared touching stories of community mutual aid they’d witnessed. After the disaster, local residents voluntarily provided resources, while neighboring communities actively supported the effort, quickly establishing multiple supply centers to help disaster survivors obtain the essentials they needed.
Patty Flowers recounted that when she asked churches if they could provide space to serve as shelters, many responded, “We are full of supplies.” Whenever items ran low, donations poured in again. “This spirit of mutual care was unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere,” she said. “Everyone looked out for one another.”
The volunteers then visited a local supply center, where they personally witnessed the community’s cohesion and the love that exists in the hearts of its members. At one local supply center, volunteers greeted the Tzu Chi team with warmth and immediately asked how they could help. There were also survivors in search of tools to repair their homes. Washbish pointed out that these tools are desperately needed after a disaster, but are very difficult to obtain in such a time. Therefore, they also prepared buckets to help survivors load up and carry the supplies they needed.
Seeking Hope Amid Destruction
On the way to impacted areas, the volunteers saw broken furniture, torn roofing, and other debris piled high on the roadsides. In an open field where a house once stood, only damaged vehicles and stripped trees remained.
Despite immense challenges, disaster survivors continue to clear debris and work to reclaim their homes. Photo/Bornain Chiu
Lynne Washbish shared with Teh-Hong Lee that some families had lost not only their homes but also their vehicles, boats, and campers. Along the roads, all that stood were the concrete walls of basements, while people and excavators alike worked steadily to clean up the community so rebuilding could begin.
In some areas, houses experienced only partial damage, and workers were already actively making repairs. Patty Flowers also described how the tornado crossed the highway and struck a nearby airport, where even the small planes inside were not spared.
Looking Ahead Together
As they returned to the Red Cross Operations Center, Bornain Chiu reflected on the sight through the car window — shattered homes, uprooted trees, and brown fields being cleared by construction vehicles, and it was a poignant reminder of nature’s colossal power.
Back at the Red Cross Operations Center, Tzu Chi and Red Cross teams discussed the next steps, including potential distribution locations. Patty Flowers and Lynne Washbish both expressed their hopes for the community and their continued collaboration. Before she departed, Patty hugged volunteer Teh-Hong Lee, expressing her sincere hope that Tzu Chi would further assist disaster survivors in the near future, providing tangible care and aid.
Just before departing London, the volunteers witnessed the funeral procession of a firefighter who had passed amid the storm. Local fire and police personnel stood in solemn tribute, joined by Tzu Chi and Red Cross volunteers. In this profoundly moving moment, they witnessed once again the compassion and unity of the community, and shared a hope for healing without delay.
