The May 6 twister, one of eight that struck Mississippi during the severe weather outbreak, destroyed 68 homes and damaged hundreds more, leaving residents like James Wash and Nydria Kelly to piece together their livelihoods amidst the debris.
While debris has largely been cleared from roads and initial damage assessments are complete, many families remain displaced as they wait for insurance claims, housing assistance, and rebuilding efforts to move forward.
Tiara Jackson
One month after tornado, Lincoln County community faces long road to recovery
“Our community has been really resilient and coming together and working together,” said Chris Reid, Lincoln County Emergency Management director. “One way or the other, whether it's declared or whether it is not, we'll rebuild and make things happen.”
County officials are awaiting a decision on whether a federal disaster declaration will be approved, which could unlock additional recovery assistance. In the meantime, Reid said local and state leaders are exploring temporary housing options for those who lost everything.
“We're really looking at avenues for temporary housing,” Reid said. “People are used to being on their own, and we're trying to find ways to help those people out.”
Among those hardest hit is James Wash, owner of Wash Trailer Park in Bogue Chitto. Before the tornado, the property housed 29 mobile homes. Twenty-seven were destroyed and another was heavily damaged, resulting in an estimated loss of $400,000.
“I'm about as thankful as a man can be,” Wash said. “I lost a bunch of old house trailers. Most folks wouldn't have put much value on them, but it was making me a good decent living. It's a family-owned business.”
The tornado struck while 10 family members were gathered inside the park’s store—the only structure left standing on the property.
“I'm just thankful that we're all alive and nobody died,” Wash said.
The family has owned the property for more than three decades and plans to rebuild despite the extensive damage.
“All I want is an opportunity to start it again,” Wash said. “Within six months, maybe I can have a couple of rentals in here to start paying the bills and at least we can level off from sinking.”
Elsewhere in Lincoln County, residents are facing their own recovery challenges.
In the Stoneybrook neighborhood, Nydria Kelly is facing her own set of challenges. Her home suffered significant damage to the roof, ceilings, and flooring, leaving her temporarily living with her mother.
“A month later and they still haven't started on anything,” Kelly said. “My insurance is kind of slow on getting things done.”
Kelly recalled sheltering in a bathroom with her son, grandchild, and his girlfriend as the storm passed. “We all ended up in the bathroom, put my grandbaby in the tub and just stayed there until everything was over,” she said.
The displacement has taken both an emotional and financial toll, with added costs for commuting and daily necessities compounding the stress of the disaster.
“Being displaced and everything out of my home and having to stay somewhere else is very irritating,” Kelly said. “Really financially, it has affected me. Just trying to stay afloat, keep my mind focused and keep moving forward.”
Despite these hardships, residents and officials point to the outpouring of support from volunteers, churches, and neighbors as a primary source of hope.
Local organizations and churches have provided housing, assisted with cleanup, and supplied furniture to those who lost their belongings.
“We ask that you pray for our community,” Reid said. “It's not an overnight thing. But people have come together so much, and you just can't say enough about what they've done for our community.”
For residents like Wash and Kelly, recovery is a slow process of restoring both their property and their peace of mind.
“We're just moving forward,” Wash said. “I'm proud that we're all healthy and able to be a family and continue what we started years ago.”
“Just trying to redo everything, get my comfort level back and be back where we were before,” Kelly said.