A tornado ripped Perry apart, kindness is pulling it together
Just hours after a tornado ripped through Perry on Friday, Dan Ritter got on Facebook to offer “a place to lay your head” or a “cup of coffee” at his home to anyone who might need it. All he asked in his community group post was to private message him for the address.
Ritter was hardly alone in his generosity. In the comments, Barb Francis also added: “Same here. Anyone is welcome.”
At a time when America appears to be as divided as ever by politics, economics, gender, race and religion — folks like Ritter, Francis and others found a way to bring people together, opening their homes, sharing hot meals and helping with the cleanup.
And they used social media, a technology often criticized for inspiring the worst in society, to do it.
“It’s amazing to see this community come together like we have,” Amber Campbell posted on Sunday afternoon in the Perry Michigan Community Page. “We are a strong community and we can get through anything. God bless us all.”
The tornado — which was later rated EF-1 on the weaker end of the Enhanced Fujita scale — downed power lines, tore large trees out of the ground and damaged buildings. It prompted the city to declare a state of emergency. It also inspired the best in many.
The tornado, the National Weather Service said, was the fifth on to touchdown in Michigan this year. It hit just before 8 a.m. with winds whirling of up to 95 mph, and went about three miles, clearing a path of more than four football fields wide.
Perry Mayor Sue Hammond told the Lansing State Journal there were no reported injuries. The city declared a state of emergency. Four public works buildings and the city hall were damaged. The veterans memorial pavilion was obliterated.
“God bless you, my man!” one person commented on Ritter’s post. “This (is) how we make America great again with good people!”
Perhaps it was the prospect facing injury, loss — and death that encouraged them.
For the 5-10 minutes the tornado tore through town people huddled in their basements and bathtubs. Perhaps it was because they lived in a relatively closely knit community in which social media posters feel comfortable asking the group things like, whether “Carl and Karen’s place got hit.”
Many simply praised the outpouring of generosity, saying that they were “blown away” by it — likely an unintended pun. They said they
loved their community. They posted heart emojis, and, in a show of pride and nod to the local high school mascot, added, “Go Ramblers.”