Weather
“The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has its pearls too”—Vincent van Gogh
The Dayton Tornadoes
May 27 - 28, 2019 and June 2, 2019
On Memorial Day, several tornadoes ripped through Montgomery County, OH. The devastating natural disaster occurred just after members of an Indiana chapter of the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated in Downtown Dayton and just prior to the Oregon District mass shooting in August. Together, Daytonians have repeatedly lifted one another up toward healing. Communities struck with the most damage left many without homes, running water, food, and more. In parts of Dayton, the effects continue to reverberate at the end of 2020.
"I grew up on this block," states Trotwood resident, fashion designer, and mother, Breann Donlin, as she sits in the bathroom where she shielded herself and her family from the tornado that tore through her neighborhood, "now it's gone." Glass, picture frames, insulation, and toys litter hallway of her treasured home.
Breann Donlin holds her daughter while speaking with fellow church members on the lawn of her now devastated home.
On May 28, 2019, Breann Donlin cradles her daughter following a devastating tornado that destroyed her home.
Breann Donlin holds her daughter while speaking with fellow church members on the lawn of her now devastated home.
Remnants of Breann's old life clutter the floor of her Trotwood, OH home that was destroyed by a tornado on May 27, 2019.
Near Stanley Avenue in Dayton, OH, Sandy stands amidst the backdrop of devastation that ripped through Montgomery County during a series of tornadoes.
"It was weird, because their fence was torn out, their gate was smashed, their chimney collapsed by their basement door, but their garage and their motorcycles weren't even touched," explains Sandy while standing near the former home of her friends, Mitch and Tammy. Sandy points toward the front of the house, where the windows were blown out.
Communities were devastated by the series of tornadoes that ripped through Montgomery County, OH.
Breann Donlin stands in front of her damaged home. Tonight, she will take her family to either stay at a relative's home or attempt to locate temporary housing in a hotel in Dayton, OH on May 28, 2019.
On June 2, 2019, home inspector Nathan voluntarily repairs a roof damaged by one of the tornadoes that tore through Dayton and Montgomery County, OH. Following the disaster, Nathan and friends traveled to various parts of the county to lend their volunteer services where needed.
Remnants of Breann's old life clutter the floor of her Trotwood, OH home that was destroyed by a tornado on May 27, 2019.
"If you can believe it, I'm one of the few people who still has running water, but we've still got a boil advisory," states homeowner, Joe, on May 29, 2019. Leaning out of his shattered door following Dayton's Memorial Day tornadoes, Joe occasionally stops to converse with friends who pass by on the sidewalk.
The Dayton, OH garage of Mitch and Tammy was left relatively untouched by the devastating Memorial Day tornadoes.
Metal siding is seen wrapped around a tree like tissue paper in Dayton, OH.
Insulation and debris are found in the yard of Dayton, OH residents Mitch and Tammy.