KARLA ATCHLEY
Seeking Shelter from the Storm
The night of the December 10th, 2021 tornado was horrifying for Karla Atchley, her husband, and their dog, who all ended up taking refuge in the bathtub of their bathroom as the storm raged outside. The chaos sounded like a plane landing, with the entire house shaking around them. Huddled together, they expressed their love for each other and prayed out loud for protection. “I thought I might see the face of God that night”. When the storm finally passed, an eerie silence filled the air. Unsure if their home was still standing, she was shocked to find that, while their belongings were safe, the house had sustained significant damage. Half the shingles were ripped from the roof, and most of the siding was ruined. Across the street, a neighbor's home had to be completely rebuilt, leaving her grateful their situation wasn’t worse.
In the days and weeks that followed, Karla recalled that the biggest challenges came from dealing with their insurance company. The company only wanted to cover repairing a portion of the shingles on the roof and insisted on trying to color-match the siding on the side of the house with the worst damage, leaving the other three sides untouched. “I was angry!” “This was my home and I wanted it to look like it was prior to the tornado.” Finding supplies and contractors for repair estimates was equally frustrating, as demand had skyrocketed. Months later, during the summer, they discovered the air conditioning unit had also been damaged by fallen tree limbs during the tornado. They hadn’t thought to test it immediately after the storm, and by the time they found the damage, it was too late to file a claim.
Amid the chaos, relief efforts provided a major source of help. Local Wal-Marts set up facilities for showers and laundry, while various locations offered food and water. “Our garage became so full of donated supplies that we had to turn away additional water”. A boil-water advisory was issued indefinitely after the town's water treatment plant sustained damage from the tornado, compounding the strain on their daily lives. It was disheartening to see the state of the community, and she had hoped for more rebuilding. The sight of their devastated community was heartbreaking. Although Karla noticed new homes being built three years later, the lack of rebuilt businesses and public spaces left her wondering, “Where are all the shops and rebuilds?” At the end of the day, she understood that the process took time, and that supplies, contractors, and funding were hard to come by.
Prayer became their emotional anchor. Despite the extensive work still to be done, they had exhausted all their funds. FEMA denied their application for assistance so quickly it almost felt laughable. A few months later, Bo, a TWKUMC case manager, connected with Karla through the Mayfield Graves Long-Term Recovery Group (MGC LTRG). Initially skeptical, she thought his call was a scam. But Beau turned out to be a true blessing, helping her secure the last portion of their insurance payout and organizing volunteers through the MGC LTRG to assist with repairs. His efforts covered the remaining costs of their air conditioning unit and helped finish the interior of their home.
In May of 2024, another storm hit—this time with straight-line winds and a small tornado that caused extensive tree and some home damage to Graves County residents. That was the final straw. Karla and her husband decided, “We’re either moving or putting in a tornado shelter.” Today, a storm shelter in their garage provides peace of mind for future storms.
Karla credited her faith in God and the help of Bo and the MGC Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) for guiding them through their most challenging moments. When they returned to St. Louis to visit family, their hugs were a little longer, and everyone was grateful to see one another.
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Her advice for others facing similar disasters is to have patience, trust in God, and definitely invest in a storm shelter. Karla believes a storm shelter would have spared them much of the trauma they endured. While FEMA was of little help for Karla and her family, she urged others not to lose hope, as local communities and organizations like the MGC LTRG often step up to fill the gaps.