We Will Forever Remember

Six years have passed since March 3, 2020—the saddest, most tragic day in the history of Cookeville and Putnam County.

That night, an EF-4 tornado with 175-mile-per-hour winds tore through our community, carving a 500-yard-wide, 8.2-mile-long path of unimaginable destruction.

Nineteen precious lives were lost.
 Ninety-five people were injured.
 More than 450 homes were damaged or destroyed.

In a matter of minutes, our hometown was forever changed.

I stood with many of you in the raw, overwhelming grief that followed.

As I helped lead the response from the Emergency Operations Center, my own emotions churned from stunned disbelief to urgent resolve, then to crushing anxiety and profound sorrow.

Yet even in that organized chaos, I witnessed something extraordinary:

The very best of who we are.

“Even in the chaos, I witnessed the very best of who we are.”


Heroes answered the call that night—and they still do.

Some wore the uniforms of our police officers, firefighters, sheriff’s deputies, Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers, EMS personnel, electric linemen, public works crews, doctors, nurses, dispatchers, and National Guard members.

Others wore everyday clothes:

Neighbors helping neighbors.
 Friends carrying friends.
 Complete strangers lifting one another up.

Out of heartbreak came hope.

Our community refused to break.

Thousands of volunteers poured in from across Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee, and the entire nation.

People gave food, clothing, supplies, money, time, and prayers.

Governor Bill Lee and President Donald Trump visited to offer comfort and support.

More than $2.3 million flowed into the official relief fund—every single dollar distributed directly to the families who lost so much.


Today, six years later, the rebuilding continues.

Homes have risen where rubble once lay.
 Businesses have reopened.
 Lives are being rebuilt, one act of kindness at a time.

The heroes and helpers have never stopped showing up.

That is the true story of March 3, 2020—not only what was taken from us, but what we refused to lose:

Our unity.
 Our resilience.  Our love for one another.

On a personal note, Shannon and I remain deeply grateful for the thousands of calls, texts, emails, cards, letters, and messages you sent in the days and months after the storm.

Your encouragement, prayers, and kindness sustained our family and our entire community through the darkest hours.

Please keep praying—for the families still healing from injuries, for those who still grieve at empty chairs, for those who lost everything they owned, for our first responders who carry the weight of that night, and for every neighbor in this resilient community we are proud to call home.


We remember the 19 lives taken far too soon:

Josh Kimberlin
 Sawyer Kimberlin
 Erin Kimberlin
 Cathy Selby
 Keith Selby
 Todd Koehler
 Sue Koehler
 Dawson Curtis
 Terry Curtis
 Stephanie Field
 Harlan Marsh
 Hattie Collins
 Jessica Clark
 Jamie Smith
 Robert Dickson
 Bridgett Ann Marie McCormick
 Leisha Rittenberry
 Patricia Lane
 Amanda Cole

We will forever honor every family affected.

And we will forever be grateful for a community that chose hope over despair, love over loss, and unity over division.

God bless you all.   Much love,