‘Now I Can Smile Again’: One Family’s Journey From Darkness to Hope After the Storm
In the spring of 2024, two devastating tornadoes — the second of which was an EF4 — ripped through the same rural Oklahoma community in the span of five weeks. Barnsdall, Oklahoma, was devastated. The tornadoes destroyed homes, felled trees, toppled power lines, and forced the evacuation of a nursing home.
Convoy of Hope was on the ground the day after the storm, working with local partners to distribute food, water, hygiene supplies, totes, tarps, and more. A year later, Convoy is still working in Barnsdall, helping the community recover.
During the second storm, a large tree fell on the Carmacks’ house. Though they were able to get the roof replaced with federal assistance, this family of four — including a small child — has dealt with boarded-up windows since then, living in darkness with no air conditioning and no insulation that windows would usually provide.
Convoy of Hope purchased and installed all new windows, replaced the sliding glass door that was blown out during the storm, and rebuilt the destroyed deck.
As soon as the new windows were in, Linda Carmack felt like she could breathe again. After the new deck was finished, she sat outside for hours, enjoying her new space even in the pouring rain.
Linda wrote to Convoy of Hope to express her gratitude. She said, “I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate everyone’s hard work. Just in two and a half days, you totally outdid yourselves. I can finally look at my home again and smile. It feels so good to be as proud — maybe even more proud — as the day we made this place our home.”
Recovery is often a long road. That’s why organizations like Convoy of Hope exist: to walk alongside disaster survivors as they recover, ensuring them that they are not alone and that rebuilding is possible.
