Taken Friday, 9:30 pm
September 27, 2024
Coffee County Court House
September 27, 2024
The day that Hurricane Helene forever changed the lives of so many, especially us here in Coffee County, Georgia.
I am a weather nerd. I love a clear night to chase the stars. A clear night to watch meteor showers. A cloudy night to chase a good lightning storm. You can say I got the love of all things weather related from my Daddy. I remember as a kid, Daddy would always go out and watch the "heat lightning." While taking my US National Weather Service Jacksonville Florida Storm Spotter Certification Class, I found out "heat lightning" is a myth. "Heat lightning" is actually a storm off in the distance you are just too far away from to hear the thunder.
Thursday, September 26, 2024, is a day I spent watching all kinds of reports from multiple meteorologists. I know enough to get me in trouble and to make me go into prep mode. The morning of September 26, I was hoping and praying it was not going to be as bad as they were predicting it to be here. September 26, I was hoping that September 27 would not bring as much damage as they said. I mean, who has ever heard of over 100 mph wind gusts here in Coffee County?! There was one predicted path I was watching and she never waivered from that path. By 4 p.m., I knew we were in for a long night.
All these years we have always been warned "the big one" was headed our way. Sometimes it changed paths. Sometimes it slowed down. Prayers were answered. We have sat back and watched our brothers and sisters of Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and even our east coast Georgian neighbors take the brunt of the storms. All these years we have been so blessed to not go thru what we all experienced during the early hours of Friday morning. We have been the ones who have rushed to the disaster areas to help others. This time, we were the ones that were being rushed to with supplies, equipment, and folks with huge hearts ready to jump in and help.
I have been to a flooded area before after a storm. Denham Springs, Louisiana. Labor Day 2016. I headed out with a UHaul trailer full of donations. I saw what a lot of water could do to a town in just a matter of days.
Our destruction and damage is a lot different than a flood. The beautiful pines and oaks we are proud of around here were helpless in the wrath of Helene's mighty winds. Just riding around and seeing the landscape changed from what we were used to seeing. This will be the storm we will share with the future generations that forever changed Coffee County.
I decided staying at the shop was safer than being home during the storm. I didn't trust the oak trees around my house. I was blessed they didn't fall on my house. Friday night, as I was sitting in the shop with my little light I was using to move around, I realized this is one of the very few times downtown Douglas has been completely dark. The storm had already passed thru hours before. So I grabbed my Canon and went on the sidewalk in the complete darkness and did some camera clicking.
A sky full of stars and being able to see the stars in downtown is very rare so I had to capture the moment. It was so quiet. It was so eerie. The stillness of the night. As I sat there on the sidewalk amongst the tin from the roof, all of the who, what, when, where, and hows started running thru my mind then the tears started flowing.
One thing I pray is we never have to go thru another Hurricane Helene type disaster ever again. The destruction. The aftermath. The heartbreak. The loss. It is different when you finally stop and realize you are the one everyone is coming to rescue.
Coffee County folks and everyone who showed up to help us from all over the United States has been nothing short of amazing. And well, that is a future post that deserves it's own post real soon! I am thankful to be from a community that has pulled together in so many ways to help their neighbors. #ForCoffee #CoffeeStrong #HurricaneHelene
