This Is Iowa: Greenfield rallies together, showing the 'power of people' after deadly tornado
This Is Iowa: Greenfield rallies together, showing the 'power of people' after deadly tornado
<IN GREENFIELD THIS USED TO BE A NEIGHBORHOOD. NOW ALL THAT'S LEFT ARE PILES OF DEBRIS WEEKS LATER. BUT THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN AN EF- 4 TORNADO IS THE POWER OF PEOPLE HELPING EACH OTHER THROUGH THIS DISASTER.> The sound of precious belongings turned to trash - echos in Greenfield. <WE WERE DEAD CENTER ON THE TORNADO GOING THROUGH HERE.> Retired Chaplan Gary Freeland and his wife Roseann made it to their basement - <THEN SECONDS LATER...WHOMP! AND YOU KNEW THE ROOF WAS GONE. AND THEN IT WAS DONE AND THAT CONCRETE RAISED AT THE SAME TIME.> - and then crawled out to see total devastation. <(POINTING) THE CONCRETE OVER THERE HAD ONE LITTLE CLOSET ON IT THAT WAS STANDING.> Their house - now a gaping hole. Surrounded by dusty debris. <WE STARTED THE DAY WITH A HOUSE AND CARS. WE ENDED THE DAY HOMELESS AND NO CARS. YEAH, NO BED. ALL WE HAD WAS GOD AND IT WAS THE MOST PEACEFUL FEELING I HAD THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.> Despite losing it all - They find peace in the miracles from that day <IT LIFTED RIGHT AS IT GOT TO US OR WE MIGHT HAVE GONE WITH IT.> And the tiny treasures that are resurrected. <THERE YOU GO. GRAB IT. GRAB IT. GOOD JOB HONEY!> Like this photo that doesn't belong to them - A discovery speckled in dirt - that sparks joy. <I WOULD BE REALLY EXCITED IF I FOUND A PICTURE OF MY KIDS AGAIN SOMEWHERE.> That picture of a chubby cheeked baby - now joins hundreds of lost photos here at United Methodist Church in Greenfield. Each one tells a story - memories of fishing trips and smiling sisters. <IN HERE WE HAVE KLEENEX, CLEANING SUPPLIES WHICH PEOPLE NEED...BATTERIES, LAUNDRY DETERGENT, TRASH BAGS...> In the next room... supplies are ready for whoever needs them. Church pews hold stacks of donated clothes - <TAKE THESE OUT SWEETHEART...> And families with the tiniest tornado survivors - can stop by áthisá room for help. <THEY DON'T WANT TO COME IN BECAUSE THEY THINK OTHER PEOPLE ARE WORSE OFF THAN THEY ARE. AND SO THEY COME IN AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE, AND SO IT'S LIKE WOW CAN I HAVE SOME OF THIS AND WE'RE LIKE YES! TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU NEED AND COME BACK.> Connie Lundy is the retired elementary school principal - She now leads the army of volunteers. <YOU GREET PEOPLE AS YOU COME IN. YOU SHOW THEN WHERE THINGS ARE. IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING WE TRY TO FIND IT. THERE WAS A WOMAN IN TODAY THAT WE JUST SAT AND TALKED, AND THAT WAS NICE.> A listening ear and a warm meal - <GO UP THERE TO YOUR RIGHT AND THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN EAT.> Are therapy here in Greenfield. A free lunch is served nearly every day - With little helpers doing the work - <I TOLD YOU I COULD DO IT.> To bring smiles to people who no longer have a kitchen to eat in. <DO YOU WANT CHEESE ON YOUR SLOPPY JOE?> Dennis Kreis is blind - and barely made it out of the tornado alive. <THE MYSTERY PART IS SOMEONE GOT DOWN WITH ME IN THAT BASEMENT AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS, BUT HE HELPED ME GET UP ON A COUNTER AND THE OTHER GUYS SAID STICK YOUR HANDS UP AND WE WILL PULL YOU UP OUT OF HERE.> People he didn't even know rescued him from the rubble - Something that still brings tears to his eyes .. weeks later. <IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. (CRIES) THE FIRST PERSON THAT HOLLERED AT ME...I DIDN'T KNOW HIM EITHER. (PAUSE) QUITE AN ORDEAL.> <NATS OF UNLOADING TRUCK.> Acts of service by complete strangers are everywhere in Greenfield. <THAT'S AWESOME!> Like this truck load of donations coming in