As friends of Shawn Rickard, we are setting up this account because he would never do this for himself.

 

If you watch “60 Minutes” on December 19th, you will see a segment with Shawn Rickard. He and his family were victims of the December 10th tornado that ripped through several states. But this segment does not tell the entire story. This is an incredible family.

 

Shawn is a volunteer fireman and EMT in his small community. Before the tornado struck Bremen, KY, he was posting warnings on social media advising folks about the severity of the pending storm. He called local churches that had basements and asked them to open their doors for families that did not have basements or storm shelters.

 

Shawn and his family had planned to huddle in their inside restroom on the main level of the house. Just before the tornado hit, he felt they needed more protection and took the family to one of these churches with a basement. All indications are that the EF-4 tornado went straight through his house. After the storm, their brick house was completely demolished. The restroom where they were going to shelter was gone.

 

Being a first responder, Shawn and his son were out immediately after the tornado passed to check on and help others. After finding his house was destroyed, he immediately began checking on his neighbors. One house had smoke coming out of a window. When no one could account for the couple that lived in the house, he kicked in the back door and went in calling their names. He found them asleep upstairs; they had gone to bed after the tornado and were unaware of the electrical damage to their home. Shawn got them out with only their clothes on their backs as fire started breaking through their roof. Less than an hour after losing everything he owned, he risked his life to save a neighbor family.

 

In the weeks prior to the storm, Shawn was doing what is typical of Shawn, helping others. Shawn and a small crew worked all night to BBQ hundreds of pounds of donated meat and sold it to support the school Fishing Team. Shawn also led a fund drive (matching dollars donated) and, with his wife, purchased toys for local schools that have children that would not have any Christmas. Shawn and Mindy have also been foster parents for young children taken in by Child Protective Services.

 

Shawn and Mindy will rebuild and continue to help others. With so much destruction in the area it will take 18 months to 2 years to get plans and contractors to rebuild their house. They need a place to live until their new home can be built.

 

Shawn’s plan was to replace his travel trailer and live in that, but that is too small to accommodate his family of four for more than a few days. We want to rebuild his garage immediately so that he can finish it out as living space until his house can be re-built.

 

We want to give back to Shawn and Mindy for all the help they have given others. We want them to feel the same support that they have given to so many.

 

A garage may not be much when you have lost everything, but for them to quickly have a place they can call their own and sleep in their own bed would be a wonderful gift. A construcion crew that could immedaitly do this project is also needed.

 

They do have insurance, but insurance alone will never cover all that they have lost. They have their faith in God and through this devastating situation, they all have a wonderful attitude. They came through safely and are thankful to God for that.

 

Thanks for helping this Good Samaritan and may God bless you!