Recovery efforts begin in Somerset after tornado devastates community

SOMERSET, Ky. (WKYT) - Foundation crumbled, windows blown out, a camper in pieces, and a new car completely destroyed.

Those are just some of the sights you can find in Somerset after a deadly tornado went through the town on Friday, May 16.

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• Numerous homes, businesses damaged or destroyed by tornado in Pulaski County
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“We were actually watching ‘Final Destination’ and then in the middle of a movie, we got the tornado warning alarms and the movie went on for a few minutes, and then all the power went out,” said Somerset resident Samantha Taylor.

The Somerset movie theater was one of the places hit Friday night.

“The next thing I know, one of the workers were telling us to get down, and then the roof collapsed in one of the theaters, and debris were flying,” said Taylor. “People were beating on the doors trying to get back in as they were trying to leave.”

Taylor got separated from her husband and says it was the scariest moment of her life.

“We were hunkering down in the hallway, and I was helping a mom to shield her kids from the debris,” said Taylor.

Another Somerset resident, Eric Cunnagin, had parked his brand-new car at his mom’s house, thinking it would be safe.

“I didn’t have a place to actually protect it, so I brought it over here, and I parked it in, actually, a 27 by 27 block garage, very nice garage, and thinking that it’s going to be protected,” said Cunnagin. “You know, I would never thought that the tornado was going to run out over top of it.”

Just a few streets over on Bourbon Road, complete devastation can be found.

“I was panicked, but I was trying to stay calm. I just had to go get all my guys up,” said Achievements Through Actions Direct Support Professional Malcome Ray.

Ray takes care of men with intellectual disabilities who live in a community living home. He had seconds to get them downstairs.

“One of them was moving kind of slow, so I got two of them downstairs,” said Ray. “I come back up, I open the door, the ceilings collapse, and then there’s debris flying everywhere. The walls are caving.”

He got everyone to safety just in the nick of time. After the storm, cut up by debris, he came outside to find his car flipped over.

“This was terrible,” said Ray.

The men who lived there lost everything.

“Their life is in that house, all of their belongings, and there’s nothing that’s salvageable,” said Achievements Through Actions Program Director Macy Halcomb.

And unfortunately, they’re not alone..

“Tornadoes are really scary, and you never really think that it can happen to you,” said Taylor. “I’ve never seen a tornado like this in my life. Just pray for our community, because we can really use it right now.”

If you would like to support Achievements Through Actions while they pick up the pieces, click here.