A Tornado Survivor’s Letter of Thanks—One Year Later
By SUE HOBBS

To All My Angels of Mercy:

A little over a year ago my life changed, as I was in the pathway of a tornado, as were so many other people.  What began as one of my darkest hours rapidly became the unfolding of tremendous blessings.  On the night of February 5, 2008, “Super Tuesday,” deadly tornados came through Tennessee.  One of them came calling on me.   Most of my earthly possessions were lost, as Peter, Paul and Mary would say, “They were blowing in the wind.”  Most importantly though, I was okay.  God spared my life.

Before I can try to say thank you, I have to take you back to something very near and dear to my heart.  My closest male friend, Rodney Palmer, “Chigger Man”, I am told, was instrumental in getting the word out on Wednesday morning, February 6.  Chigger and I were very good friends.  I could tell him anything and not be judged or condemned, as he could me.  We were sounding boards for each other and sources of strength.  We always ended our conversations with, “I got your back!”

Several weeks prior to the tornado, I got a sad, depressing call from a very devastated Chigger Man, which was totally foreign to his usual upbeat, leave em laughing or scratching their heads, demeanor.  As he began to tell me of being told he needed a heart transplant, his voice began to tremble and quake.  I jumped in immediately to speak what I hoped was positive, reassuring words, reminding him of God’s promises.  I said, “Listen it’s only a bump in the road!”  “They do hundreds of those a year at Vanderbilt and you’re going to be another one.  Just a simple bump in the road, it won’t be your first or your last, but it’s going to be okay.  I got your back!”  He seemed to cheer up slightly and we got to laughing as we always did. 

Now, fast forward to Wednesday, February 6, approximately 6:15 a.m.  I was riding with my son, coming back to my house in the light of day to witness the devastation.  My son had come to find me in the middle of the night.  The area was closed off, but he got to me.  He took me home with him around 2:30 a.m.  I couldn’t begin to sleep, so around daybreak, I was ready to go back.  I was frantic to try to make sense of what had happened.  My phone rang and it was Chigger.
He was in Vanderbilt at the time. 

Now, he called me” Hobbs” most of the time unless he was flirting, then it was “Ms. Hobbs.”  He said, “Hobbs, good to hear your voice.  I just wanted to check on you.  You alright?” 

I said, “Yes Chigger, I’m okay.”  He said, “If you’re okay, how come you sound so funny, what’s wrong?”  That’s all it took.  I was a mess, nuttier than a fruitcake.  I now know I was in shock and right in the middle of PTSD.  Anyway, I began to melt down, tears jumping off my face and Chigger very sternly said, “Hey, Hey Hobbs, hold up, hold up!  You’r eokay, it ain’t nothing but a ‘bump in the road, you hear me, just a bump in the road.’”  With my own words being fed back to me, my tears dried up and I couldn’t help but smile.  He said something about not worrying, that he couldn’t come to me but I wouldn’t be alone.  We ended that conversation with his usual “Hobbs, I got your back!”

I had not been on my property over 30 minutes maybe, and looked up to see Nancy Cheek, my first Angel of Mercy.  I don’t remember much from that day, other than Nancy asking me, “What do you need?”  I could only cry and say “I don’t know.”  How do you answer when you’ve lost everything?  She pulled out her call phone and said “I’ll be right back.” 

Within an hour, I bet there were 50 to 100 people at my house.  All were Angels of Mercy.  Some I knew, many I didn’t, but here they came and sifted through all the rubbish.  They moved like well-oiled machines.  They were organized and knew exactly what to do.  You could tell, they were no rookies, they had done this before.  I was no help whatsoever.  It was like a dream or nightmare.  It was as if I was in another state of being and watching them from afar.  Their selfless acts of kindness will never be forgotten.

All of you reading this, please know that you will always have someone that has unconditional love for you.  I will never forget.  I saw Christ in each and every one of you.

I was later told Chigger had hung up from talking to me and called Tammy Gatlin and said, “Rally the troops.”  Tammy called Nancy and the rest is now “our history.”  Again, let me say thank you from my soul.  I love each and every one of you.

I am almost built back and ready to come home.  When I’m settled somewhat, I’m having an open house and I want each and every one of you to come.  God is restoring beauty for my ashes.  His blessings are too many to count, come see how He has rewarded my sorrow.

Your Grateful Loving Friend Forever,
Sue Hobbs