Erin and Bill’s Tornado Relief Fund

Hello, my name is Bridget Handley. My husband and I are raising money to help my older sister, Erin, and her veteran husband, Bill Moore, rebuild their lives after their possessions were destroyed during the December 10th Kentucky tornadoes.

We were all raised in Kentucky, but military service, life or our careers took us out of the state we love. After our dad died of Covid in April, Erin and Bill decided to take advantage of her remote work status, so they could live closer to family and once again enjoy the four seasons.

Once their house sold in Florida, they began searching for a new home online. On November 29th, they were supposed to close on a house in Dawson Springs, KY, but the house they fell in love with failed inspection that morning. Forced to create a Plan B, they left their belongings in a storage unit in Dawson Springs while they tried to find another house in another city in an already tough market. Inside their storage unit was most of what they owned, including the antiques and some other things we both inherited from our dad.

On Wednesday, December 22nd (their 35th wedding anniversary), they finally closed on another home. On Thursday afternoon, they received a call from the Dawson Springs Police Department letting them know they thought they found Bill’s gun safe. As a result, they were allowed to return to the devastated town while holding out hope that some other things might have survived. On Friday (Christmas Eve), their worst nightmare was confirmed: All their furniture, household goods, dishes, electronics, tools, etc. were destroyed in the tornadoes that ravaged our home state. Unfortunately, my sister was only able to salvage the brass face off my dad’s grandfather clock, and a few plates. Luckily, they just received word that a separate small pod in Bowling Green survived the tornadoes, and as she said, “It contained things that make a house a home” such as “pictures and other things that truly touch our hearts.”

I know from our own experiences over the last few years that this too shall pass and to trust the timeline: If their original house had passed inspection, they may not have survived and although I’m sure my sister and her husband wonder how they can possibly rebuild their lives on the $2,000 storage unit insurance policy, they will endure that journey. Our parents raised tough little cookies and with prayers and help from others, they will both emerge stronger.

Life can literally change in the blink of an eye, so count your blessings, hug your loved ones, and say some extra prayers for Erin and Bill.