March 05th, 2020

 Miracle in the Middle of the Tornado Crisis

The 2020 Tornado was a horrible event to thousands of people in Middle Tennessee.  Many lives were taken do to this act of nature.  In the middle of the chaos there was one huge miracle.

It was after just after midnight when the storms around Nashville started swirling into a deadly tornado.  At the River Bend prison,  one lone Correctional Officer has the job of walking the exterior of the prison along the razor wire fence line checking to see that the sensors and security the fence provides is all in place.  I have met this man and his daily walk, every hour has him in incredible shape.  I’ve been told that at every corner he drops and does 100 push ups, every hour, every day he is at work.  The man is defiantly in shape.  On this evening, he knew that weather reports had warnings of storms coming in in the wee hours of the morning.  His job, like that of the mail man, requires him to walk the fence line come rain, snow or sleet…

As he made his rounds he looked up and saw the funnel cloud rapidly approaching.  
He dove to the ground laying face first as low as he could and then watched the swirling cloud rise over the prison and completely miss the 800 plus inmates housed behind its concrete walls.  
That tornado touched down on the other side of the prison property and started its sixty some mile cut through warehouses, airports, homes and businesses.

One can only be thankful for the lives that were spared not only at River Bend, but though out middle Tennessee.
We grieve the loss that has hit this community. 

We have received numerous calls from around the country to check on our safety and support our efforts to help in the community.
Thank you and please keep Nashville in your prayers.