On Your Side: Elderly Fairfield tornado survivor needs a new roof

Published: Nov. 23, 2017 at 4:20 AM CST|Updated: Nov. 24, 2017 at 4:42 PM CST
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(Source: WBRC video)
(Source: WBRC video)

FAIRFIELD, AL (WBRC) - More than a year ago, an elderly woman weathered a tornado that ripped through Fairfield. Despite the damage to her home, she helped to feed many others in the community after the storm. Now she needs the community to repay the favor.

We first met Ms. Henretta Young outside of her house in Fairfield at the time she wasn't letting the pouring rain stop her from giving thanks. She's more than thankful she was able to ride out a tornado that ripped through Fairfield last year. She was in the front of her home on 60th Street when things took a turn for the worse.

"Something hit that window and all that glass came through here and I started to hollering. I said oh something done..it seemed like the whole house was falling in," Young said.

By the time she started to run to the back, the storm was over.

"And the Lord let all that glass pass by and it didn't touch me nowhere," Young said.

Her roof was damaged. She was without power for a few days. She lost all her food but she still managed to keep a smile on her face. In the days after the storm, she helped feed the community from her front yard.

"They've been hugging and praying for one another and that's what we need. We need more prayer," Young said.

Over a year later, Ms. Young is still thankful.

"I've been through a lot.But the Lord took care of me and he's still taking care of me," Young said.

Her roof though still has tarps on it and she says when he rains it sometimes pours into her dining room where she's planning on having Thanksgiving with her family. She doesn't have insurance for a new roof and her family isn't financially able to have another one put on.

"Most of the time I be praying that it don't rain so that I won't have to be getting the buckets and the pans. I have faith though that the Lord is going to fix it," Young said.

Ms. Young has lived in this home for over 50 years. Her family says she's not planning on leaving despite it needing work.

"We love her and we want the best for her. So we would love in her last years because she's 85 for her to be able to have everything that she deserves and we can't financially get her what she needs," Denise Young-Bradley, Young's daughter said.

"It's not like I want this for luxury. She's trying to get a roof over her head before the winter comes. This is a need," Nancy Young, Henretta's sister said.

Ms. Young is praying the community she helped after the storm—will repay the favor and help her.

"I never thought something like this would happen to me. But why not? I'm not no better than anyone else. I hope and trust that the roofers are listening that I would be tickled to death to get my top finished. I'm depending on the Lord and I feel like there's somebody out there. He got somebody out there that's willing to do something," Young said.

Since we spoke with Ms. Young over the weekend, we've had a few people reach out to us wanting to help. If you would like to help, you can email On Your Side Investigator Josh Gauntt at jgauntt@wbrc.com.

Ms. Young's family set up a GoFundMe page for people looking to donate.


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