After a weekend of storms and a tornado that killed at least seven people in North Texas, the small community of Valley View entered its second day of recovery
On Memorial Day, power crews and first responders started early to begin the immense task of restoring normalcy after the deadly tornado.
Seven people were killed and about 100 were injured when tornadoes ripped through North Texas on Saturday night. Valley View was one of the towns hit the hardest by the severe weather, as the storm destroyed or damaged more than 300 structures.
Among the dead were two children, aged 2 and 5, and three family members found in the same home. Although officials have not yet identified the victims, a GoFundMe page revealed that Laura Esparza and her children, Miranda and Marco, were killed in the tornado. Laura’s husband was injured and underwent surgery on Sunday, while another sibling underwent surgery on Monday.
Volunteers and local residents had been working since Sunday, putting new roofs on homes and helping to carry furniture from destroyed homes into pickup trucks.
According to the Dallas Morning News, local churches, businesses, and aid organizations worked this Monday morning to provide food, water, and resources. The John Fortenberry Community Center on South Lee Street was bustling with volunteers and donations. Teams loaded supplies into pickups and trailers to deliver to the worst-hit neighborhoods, including Frf Estates. Volunteer Kristy Spainhour highlighted the community’s resilience, saying, “We always show up for each other. We always rally and we always do what needs to be done.”
Pamela Wiebe, co-pastor of the Christian Gathering Church of Valley View, hosted a breakfast for first responders and the mayor. She was preparing for more people to seek shelter at her church ahead of possible storms. By Sunday evening, the church was sheltering at least 35 people
The church has received food donations since Sunday, but Wiebe stressed the importance of people working to help the city recover.
“Sure, we want people to give money and donate what they can. But what we really need is boots on the ground. We need people. We need a community,” Wiebe told the Dallas Morning News. “All I ask is that people pay attention and build relationships with their neighbors. Our world is so unstable. But I want everyone’s kids to see this. This is what community looks like. This is what we were put on this planet to do.”
Severe weather will continue to plague the country, as forecasters said storms could shift to the East Coast later on Monday.
