Written by Bornain Chiu
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Ida Eva Zielinska
On the evening of May 16, 2025, tornadoes struck the cities of London and Somerset, in Kentucky, destroying more than 500 homes and claiming over 20 lives. On May 26, volunteers from Tzu Chi USA Midwest Region’s Columbus Service Center visited the disaster area to assess the situation and learn about survivors’ needs.
Then, on June 21, the day before the relief distribution, 50 Tzu Chi volunteers from Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana drove to London, in Laurel County, to carry out the relief effort. They braved the scorching heat as temperatures reached 103 degrees Fahrenheit that day. Volunteers from Chicago drove about six and a half hours in these grueling conditions, while those from Ohio and Indiana drove three to four hours.
Holding the Distribution at the Local Courthouse
“The day before the distribution, the deputy director of the local emergency management agency personally escorted volunteers into the disaster area to assess the damage,” recounted Tzu Chi USA Midwest Region Executive Director Chong Hsieh. “Many homes were completely leveled. It was shocking and heartbreaking.”
Hsieh also expressed gratitude for strong support from local government and social service agencies. The distribution was originally scheduled to be held at the local high school in London, but due to a scheduling conflict, was relocated to the Laurel County Courthouse.
Laurel County Judge-Executive David Westfield, who had been moved by Tzu Chi’s tornado relief efforts in 2021, was a strong supporter and made the courthouse available for the event. “The judge came to the courthouse at 8 AM to open the doors for us to set up,” said Hsieh. Other officials were equally supportive, he noted. “The Mayor of London, having heard of Tzu Chi’s good work many times, was very happy about our arrival.”
Tzu Chi volunteers carry disaster relief supplies to the second-floor space provided by the Laurel County Courthouse for the distribution on June 22, 2025. Photos/Tony Cheng
Judge Westfield came to the distribution event and addressed those in attendance. “I know this is the third or fourth time I saw them in Kentucky. And we’re so honored to have them here today,” he said about Tzu Chi. “Hopefully the gift you receive from this great organization will put value in your life. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I pray for each and every one of you every day,” he continued, expressing his sympathy for those affected by the flood disaster.
We thank you all for being here today to receive this great gift from this great organization.
Officials Recognize Tzu Chi
American Red Cross Bluegrass Area Chapter Executive Director Lynne Washbish also attended the distribution in person. Speaking about the disaster survivors, she said, “They still need that hope and that care and that love that we, as the Red Cross provide, as well as what Tzu Chi provides. Right now, getting some money in their hands is really important so they can rebuild.”
I think the one thing about Tzu Chi and the Red Cross that marry up so well together is that we’re that blanket around their shoulders to let them know that we were going to be here and we’re going to provide the comfort they need until they can get back on their feet again.
“Lynne Washbish has been looking forward to the Tzu Chi team’s presence. She worked with Tzu Chi during the Mayfield, Kentucky, tornado relief effort in 2021 and was deeply impressed. When she learned that our Columbus Service Center volunteers were coming to assess the disaster, she was very moved and looked forward to our arrival,” said Tzu Chi USA Midwest Region Executive Director Chong Hsieh.
The Mayor of London, Randall Weddle, also attended the event to pay his respects. He expressed his gratitude to Tzu Chi volunteers for coming all the way there to assist the affected residents in post-disaster recovery, and praised Tzu Chi for bringing warmth to the community.
We would like to thank Tzu Chi for coming out and blessing this community with your love and this donation.
Mayor Weddle also expressed appreciation for the support received from the entire state and country after the disaster. He encouraged the survivors to rebuild their homes. “It was a terrible night, but I know that God is with us and we’re going to rebuild from this. But it’s going to take us some time, right? But never feel like you’re alone because you’re not.”
Material supplies are, in fact, limited. The most important thing is that, at this moment, many are feeling very low. What we can give is love and encouragement, hoping they will find the strength to stand up again soon
In addition to supplying material goods to assist the disaster survivors as they rebuild their lives, Tzu Chi volunteers also shared the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation’s spirit of great love. They invited them to join the “bamboo bank” initiative, showing how putting aside a little each day to help others keeps the cycle of kindness moving and enables support in their time of need.
On the day of the distribution, 291 survivors from 103 households received aid, including 175 blankets. At the same event, 103 bamboo banks were collected, symbolizing the cycle of giving back. In total, $76,000 in cash cards was distributed.
A Couple’s Story of Resilience
Holly Freeman and her husband, Christopher Freeman, shared their story and reflections during the distribution. Christopher, who had served as the director of the local 911 center during the 2021 Mayfield tornado, drew on his past experience to help his own community through this new disaster. “What can I do to get resources here? What relationships can I leverage to get help to our community at this time?” he recalled, applying his skills and connections to assist neighbors in need.
Holly was deeply touched by the care exhibited by Tzu Chi volunteers. “This is not just material assistance, it’s more like family support.” The couple expressed their deep gratitude for Tzu Chi’s help and vowed to fill their bamboo bank with love then return it so that Tzu Chi can help more people in need and continue the cycle of good.
Just really moved by everything. To us, it was not just coming here to get financial assistance. You all made it feel like, almost like a family environment.
“We are in a better way, in a better relationship with our neighbors. Having that family-like bond, it will be better than it was before,” Christopher added. The couple vowed to continue this love and rebuild together with the community.
Grateful to Be Alive
Another disaster survivor, William Murphy, recalled the terrifying moment when the tornado struck on May 16. “I kept hearing things hitting my mobile home. So I stepped out my door, and there was golf ball sized hail coming down. I went and I closed the door, and things really started hitting my trailer hard. I laid down on my kitchen floor. Next thing I know, things are really slamming into my trailer. My trailer is upside down. My trailer is up in the air, upside down…” he recounted. “It blew my whole trailer away. It busted my head. I had blood running down me. My back looked like I’d been shot with a shotgun and beat with the two by four. This only lasted about 30 to 45 seconds. I ended up about 200 feet away, hanging on to a pile of debris, [the wind] still trying to suck me away.”
Murphy was immensely grateful to have come through the horror of that day alive. After returning to what was left of his home, he found a Bible still lying in its place. He saw it as a sign of God’s protection and resolved to help others whenever he could. Having received aid from Tzu Chi and experienced the volunteers’ compassion firsthand, he now feels called to pass that kindness forward. “[It] made me feel kind of guilty that back when these other disasters happened, I didn’t go help,” he said. “From now on, I will be helping when these things come along because it’s the right thing to do. It’s a humanitarian thing to do.”
I thank you for contacting me. I thank you for letting me come down here and you helping me. That means a lot to me. Thank you for everything you all are doing.
Still in Shock
Survivor Natasha Rouse recalled vividly when the tornado hit. “Me and my daughter, we were in the kitchen. I was cooking, and my stepmom called and said that we were under a tornado warning. I said, ‘Oh, well, we didn’t hear anything. We didn’t hear anything about a tornado warning.’ And then it got, it started raining real hard and stuff. Then it just got calm, it quit for a minute. It was calm, completely calm. And then by the time we knew it, my brother came busting through the door because the tornado was right behind hi,. It was so strong. We did the job. It took us a good minute to pull him in, but we got him in. We ran to my closet. And then that’s when we got hit…”
It was only the next day that the reality of what had happened began to sink in. “Everything was just destroyed. Gone,” Rouse said, recalling how she had not taken it seriously when the tornado warning came in. “I guess I really didn’t because I didn’t think we were going to get hit by a tornado. And we got hit and it took out everything. Everything.” She started crying as she recounted the story to Tzu Chi volunteers, grateful for their arrival and help.
It's beautiful seeing people pull together, you know, because that's what you need. You need people to be together. People need people. You do. I mean, I am grateful for you guys.
Maintaining Disaster Relief Operations in the Midwest
Brook Nicholson-Sea, Assistant Emergency Management Director at Laurel-Whitley Emergency Management, who attended the distribution, recalled the terrifying scene when the EF-4 tornado hit on May 16, cutting an 18-mile path that began in Laurel County and swept through major communities such as Sunshine Hills. “There were, I believe, 22 homes and a church in there, and there’s only two left. The tornado swept away nearly everything in its path,” she noted.
The disaster also impacted parts of Pulaski County, and Marshall Todd, that county’s Judge-Executive, also attended the distribution. “We have some families here today from Pulaski. This is the reason I came over to represent them. We appreciate very much what you’re doing because the supplies you’re giving out are needed at this time. So we appreciate your effort,” he said.
The Tzu Chi USA Midwest Region team was grateful for the opportunity to help all those impacted by the disaster. Yet Executive Director Chong Hsieh pointed out that, due to climate change, Kentucky is experiencing disasters with increasing frequency and is now considered part of a new “Tornado Alley.” He emphasized that Tzu Chi will continue to uphold its disaster relief mission and stand by those in need in this region.
Disasters bring suffering, but they also unite people in kindness and compassion. Tzu Chi volunteers braved long journeys and extreme heat to provide these Kentucky tornado survivors with warmth, care, and tangible support. From a blanket or a word of encouragement to a heartfelt blessing, the cycle of kindness is quietly taking root. May this love, offered in the spirit of one family, accompany disaster survivors through hardship as they rebuild. We invite you to offer your love to assist disaster survivors on the road to full recovery.
