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Two months after tornadoes ripped through several states, the small town of Monette, Arkansas, is still on the road to recovery. A nursing home there, Monette Manor, was destroyed when the tornadoes hit in December, killing dozens.
TORNADO HITS ARKANSAS NURSING HOME, KILLING ONE
The town with a population of less than 2,000 still has a lot of debris everywhere from the aftermath of the tornado damage. Rick Sampson has owned Monette Manor for over 20 years and has cared for many wonderful people over the years, he told Fox News Digital.
Rick Sampson bought Monette Manor in 1998.
“It’s kind of home, and we have operated it for a long time and had the opportunity to take care of a lot of wonderful people,” said Sampson.
TORNADOES BRING DEATH, INJURIES, DAMAGE TO SEVERAL STATES
There were over 70 people inside Monette Manor when a tornado hit the building on Dec. 10, 2021. Among them was Gregg and Rodney Presley’s father, Ray. They say when they arrived at Monette Manor that night, the scene was pure chaos.
Outside Monette Manor after the tornado hit the building.
“It took us two hours to find out where dad was. They loaded him in the ambulance and actually got him to a hospital, but we had to find out which hospital they took him to,” said Gregg.
Thankfully, the 80-year-old man made it out with only a few cuts and bruises.
“It was a miracle of god that everything worked out as well as it did,” said Rodney.
But, the building itself couldn’t be saved. Workers are still clearing the site where the manor once stood, but Sampson is hopeful for the future of the facility. He says this close-knit town’s community support, help and encouragement made this process a lot easier.
TORNADO KILLS TWO, INJURES SEVERAL IN ARKANSAS
“We just had so many people that cared, and wanted to do everything they could, and they were up here helping and just making the best of a bad situation,” said Sampson.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has given funding to more than 500 tornado survivors in Arkansas totaling in over $700,000, and the deadline for others to apply is Feb. 22. Juan Ayala from FEMA says even if people are not eligible for their aid, they’ll help with finding additional available resources.
Damage still remains where Monette Manor once stood.
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“In Arkansas, we do still have personnel in the field. Everything we do in any state is done in partnership with that state government so, it’s not just FEMA personnel it’s state personnel, and local emergency managers, and elected officials who are working to coordinate the recovery efforts,” said Ayala.
The goal for Monette Manor is to rebuild the facility in just over a year, and resident and community members are currently working with an architect to make that happen.
