ROSEVILLE, Mich. – Under ordinary circumstances, Christmas Eve is filled with festive joy as families gather around to celebrate the holiday.
Many families in Mayfield, Kentucky lost their homes in a Dec. 12 tornado that moved through the town. Roger Harrison, from Roseville, is making sure they get what they need this holiday season.
“For many, many, years I was a forensic fire and explosion investigator, and I’ve been around destruction and explosions,” said donation organizer Roger Harrison. “And what I see in the video, I mean, there’s a lot of parallels to an explosion. There’s just debris all over the place.”
The debris he references is from the tornado’s aftermath in Mayfield, Kentucky.
“It really has devastated that area and just motivated me to want to do something,” he said.
Harrison’s reasoning for jumping into action is because of his family.
“I’ve got several that were affected too that completely lost their homes and one that was very traumatized by the whole event,” Harrison said.
Harrison’s familiarity with the situation prompted him to call the proper establishments that could help provide the bare necessities like pillows, blankets, heaters, canned goods, flashlights, and plastic totes.
The community loaded all of the items mentioned above into a truck into his truck located outside Chippewa Valley High School in Clinton Township.
He said the community came through on donations, including neighboring cities like Grosse Pointe Shores.
“They’ve been so helpful, you know, some of the things that you see here are actually already in Kentucky because they went to Amazon and donated a large amount of items that was shipped, and it currently have it there,” Harrison said.
Harrison is heading out Sunday morning to drive the truck and personally deliver the donations.
“And you know, I think this is just as beneficial for me to go down thee and reach out and help them give them a hug,” Harrison said. “Let him know that everybody cares about them and that Michigan loves them.”
Click here to follow Harrison and his journey to Mayfield.
