Support for Valley View, Texas Family after EF3 Tornado

Memorial Day Weekend Tornado, Valley View, Texas

On the night of May 25th, my family’s lives were turned upside down when an EF3 tornado tore through their rural community, destroying their mobile home and causing extensive property damage. We are incredibly grateful that Robert, Peggy, Delaney, and Delaney's 14-year-old son, Jace, survived without severe injuries. However, the aftermath has left us in dire need of support to rebuild and recover.

My name is Lindsey White, daughter of Peggy and sister to Delaney, and I am coordinating recovery efforts on behalf of my family.

The Impact of the Tornado

Thanks to Delaney's gut feelings and quick thinking, she sheltered Robert and Jace in a small central bathroom instead of the master bathroom at the end of the trailer. The master bathroom and bedroom exploded off the frame and scattered on the ground like matchsticks. The entire roof ripped off like aluminum foil, and all the windows shattered as wind-driven debris and rain whipped through the house.

My mom, Peggy, hadn't made it into the house yet when the tornado struck, and she rode out the storm in an RV in the driveway. Somehow, even as debris penetrated the front window, the RV stayed upright and on the ground.

A 48-foot semi-truck storage trailer on the property was lifted and overturned on its side behind the RV. All sheds were demolished. All of the vehicles were slammed by the tornado's debris field, leaving them heavily damaged and currently undriveable. Many of the trees on the property splintered and fell.

Our Family’s Situation

Robert and Peggy have significant physical and health limitations, which prevent them from contributing to the physical recovery efforts. Both of my sisters, my nieces, and I are working hard to salvage any sentimental and recoverable items that we can and begin the overall disaster recovery cleanup while taking care of our family members.

We are in the beginning stages of navigating insurance claims and seeking FEMA assistance, but these processes are slow, and the aid may not cover all the necessary expenses. Our family lives substantially below the poverty line, making it difficult to absorb these unexpected costs in a time of immediate need.

Why We Need Your Help

My family lives on three acres left to my mother by my late father, Pvt Frank White, USAR, who died in 1998. The tornado left debris from my family's home, along with pieces of neighbors' homes, strewn across much of the property. Clearing debris from the three acres will require substantial resources, and is a necessary first step before any thought to reestablishing a residence on the property can be considered.

We were finally able to get temporary roof protection in place on May 28th to avoid further damages, as consistent thunderstorms and rain are threatening to ruin what little salvageable contents are left, but we are having trouble securing totes/boxes to pack items in. The initial supply of totes we bought, along with some other initial recovery supplies, were lost in a second high-wind storm on Monday (May 27th).

We are taking advantage of local donations, but there is a shortage of storage totes and other recovery needs. We are currently paying out of pocket for one hotel room, as Robert has health needs and disabilities which impact his mobility. We may need to get a second hotel room in the near future for the family as the house is uninhabitable and one hotel room makes accommodations tough.

We desperately need funds for a temporary rental car or truck, because the FRF Estates community is rural. Donated supplies are located 5-6 mi away in Valley View, and the closest stores like Walmart are a 30 minute drive one way without traffic (disaster congestion has made some trips take multiple hours). Average temperatures right now are in the 80-90F (26.7-32.2C) range.

We urgently need funds to:

How You Can Make a Difference

Your donation, no matter the size, will directly impact our ability to recover and rebuild, to ensure that four people have shelter and that their basic needs met. Here’s how you can help:

We have a long road ahead, but with your generosity and support, we can begin to rebuild our lives and create a new home. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us during this challenging time.

Disclosure: My niece, Alia, initially set up a GoFundMe at [https://gofund.me/057ab0fc]. As we have organized the family response to the disaster, we've redistributed responsibilities for the relief effort. While I've taken the lead handling fundraising and accounting, we are not able to close Alia's GoFundMe because the initial funds have not yet finished processing and aren't yet fully distributed. While donations to the other GoFundMe will still come to my family, this GoFundMe is now the primary channel for managing our recovery efforts.