Man Delivers Plane Full Of Toys To Children In Kentucky After Devastating Tornado

With the holidays in full swing, it’s supposed to be one of the most joyous times of the year where we gather with family and loved ones. But for many families in Kentucky, this December has brought heartbreak and chaos as hundreds of homes and businesses were lost to the devastating tornados that touched down on the 10th.

People lost their lives, families were separated from each other and from their pets, and many are struggling to pick up the pieces of what remains of their homes.

Losing a home in such a traumatic way is hard enough on a regular day, but it’s just a little bit harder with it being the holiday season. Christmas gifts, trees, and decorations were among the items destroyed by the tornado, leaving many parents heartbroken for their children.

Speaking with NPR, one young girl who lost her home to the tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky said they were searching their home’s debris for any sign of the wrapped presents they had. She added, “The Christmas tree I think got sucked up with the presents.”

She’s not alone in missing out on Christmas gifts, trees, and other sentimental items from the family home. Many other families with children are experiencing a similar situation, and it’s unlikely they would have any kind of Christmas celebration at all if it weren’t for the generosity of a few kind strangers.

Timothy Baise, the president of Homeless Angels, a street-based outreach in Lansing, Michigan, heard about the tornado that hit Kentucky and wanted to use his non-profit’s resources to help out.

In an interview with Up North Live, Baise explained that he was at his organization’s toy drive when he spoke with the manager of the Mayfield Airport. Baise wanted to know what he should send to help those affected by the tornadoes, and the airport manager said they needed toys.

Baise said to the news outlet:

“There’s hundreds of houses that are just destroyed. There’s no way these families are going to be able to get anything for these children. Toys, I mean I had goosebumps, I almost couldn’t breathe, right? I started like blowing up because I’m in the middle of this. He had no idea who I was or what we were doing at the time and he said toys. All I could say is ‘I’ll be there tomorrow.'”

Baise loaded up a caravan plane with an estimated 1,000 toys the next day and flew to Mayfield to deliver them.

His generosity didn’t stop there, either! After his first load of toys, his organization partnered with Morgan’s HUGS to deliver even more toys to those who lost it all in Kentucky:

They also threw in some useful items in addition to toys, like paper towels, gloves, and trash bags.

Some families may never recover from losing their homes to the tornado, but at least they won’t all have to go without Christmas presents too. Thanks to Baise and his non-profit, hundreds of children will receive toys this Christmas.

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