Donations and generosity help Crittenden tornado family start new life

CRITTENDEN, Ky. - The healing is still continuing throughout the Tri-State following the devastating tornadoes and storms that hit the area almost two weeks ago.
       
One of those places is the Crittenden-Piner areas of Northern Kentucky, where some families made homeless by a tornado are now in new homes and rebuilding their lives.

From Violet Drive and Kentucky 491, the Harvesters subdivision in Crittenden still looks much like it did a week ago when it was just starting to recover. Monday morning it is still a sea of blue tarps covering storm damaged roofs.
       
But many of the families who used to live in the Harvesters have seen a 180 degree improvement in their lives, from one of almost total despair to now one of hope and gratitude for strangers they don't even know.

The apartment building at the Harvesters where the Wiltsie family lived had extensive damage from the tornado. The storm almost completely ripped the second floor away.
     
Thomas Wiltsie and several of his children were forced to run for a first floor bathroom to keep from being blown away.
    
The Wiltsies are in a new apartment in nearby Dry Ridge, with the deposit partially paid through church donations.
   
Looking at their kitchen cabinets full of food at their new apartment, it's hard to believe they moved in with almost nothing on Tuesday. Now the family also has two donated couches in the living room and two beds for the children.
    
The only thing they could really salvage from the old apartment were two bicycles, a TV and a Playstation, which their 4-year-old son really enjoys.

"Amazing. Honestly amazing," Thomas said. "I can't believe what all kinds of people have given us to help us start over again."

"I thought it would take months to re-establish our household. But thanks to their help, it's basically done," said Thomas.

Thomas' wife, Carla, wasn't at the new apartment Sunday evening because she's starting back at her retail job back in Crittenden.

Last week, Carla feared it might take her a full month to be able to go back to work.
     
The Wiltsies say all the donations have also helped their children cope with the trauma of surviving a tornado. Little Thomas is set to go back to his pre-kindergarten class Monday morning.