Help the Helms Hit by Texas Tornado

*In view above: Damage done by tornado very close to my parents' neighborhood . (Picture: G.J. McCarthy/Dallas Morning News). See a slideshow of Rowlett damage, including mom's car (the maroon overturned car in middle of page)*

Friends and family,

Many of you know from Facebook that our parents' house and a good part of their neighborhood in Rowlett, TX was hit by a tornado the day after Christmas. Many friends have offered to pray for our family and asked how they could help, so Stephen and I agreed to create a GoFundMe campaign to give you that opportunity if you feel led to do so.

What happened: My parents (William and Paulette Helms) and my brother (Stephen) were in the house when the tornado hit. By God's grace they and their entire neighborhood were unharmed - and this is especially evident as you see the damage and devastation done by the storm. Here is the inside of their house the day after it was hit:
Our family (Paul, Abby, Silas and Ollie) were in Dallas visiting them just a few days before Christmas -- and so even though we were back home in Tennessee when the storm hit, this has been a shock for our family as well. It's also made the reality of the storm damage in the Southern United States over the past few months much more real and personal.

Our parents have some modest needs aside from the house being severely damaged - Mom's car (with special extended pedals because of her height) was picked up and thrown and will not be covered; Dad's car was slightly damaged, and there are  several deductibles as well. We are estimating at least $5000 needed to help cover all of this, with the money needed in the next month.

We're so grateful for all of the messages and offers of help. And so this campaign is for those who simply want to help soften the financial blow for my parents who have already lost their home. Any money that is raised that exceed our needs will be donated to a disaster relief charity (i.e. Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse) to help others who have been hit by storms in the South this holiday season. Thank you, everyone! We pray you have a happy and safe New Year and will keep you posted with updates over time.