Four Amish Die In Kentucky Tornado Strike

Among the dozens of victims of last weekend’s spate of tornadoes were four members of an Amish family in Graves County, Kentucky. The Washington Post reports on the aftermath (article behind paywall):

MAYFIELD, Ky. — Through the rain and darkness on Friday night, Chris Crawford heard a baby crying.

The tobacco farmer had ventured into the howling wind a half-hour earlier to warn his neighbors before the tornado hit.

Jacob and Emma Gingerich, both 31, lived across the road with their five children. Their house was a stripped-down double-wide trailer — no electricity, no running water, no indoor bathroom, in accordance with their Amish belief that one should live life as simply as possible.

Now the storm seemed to have passed, and Crawford put on a head lamp and jumped into his ATV to check on them. He saw pieces of his barn’s aluminum roof scattered like torn tissue paper in the trees. When he reached his neighbor’s home, it had disappeared.

Ammon, 8, the eldest of the five children, was barefoot, shaking and crying. Sarah, 3, was alive under some debris. Crawford still heard a baby’s wail. More than 50 yards away, down a slope packed with wreckage, he found Ben, just an infant, lying on the ground in only a diaper.

There was no sign of Jacob, Emma and their two other children. Searchers found their bodies hours later.

The loss of four members of a single family has shattered the local Amish community, part of a conservative sect that believes in remaining separate from the modern world. By Monday, relatives had gathered from five states to grieve in this rural area south of Mayfield.

Image: WPSD

There is a description of the viewing and some comments from the visitors:

Jacob’s paternal uncle — whose name is also Jacob Gingerich and who is 57 years old — came from central Kentucky to mourn.

“It’s hard, but you know — it was meant to be, or it couldn’t have been,” he said, adding that he believes his nephew, his wife and two of their children had left a sinful world and were in a better place.

He feels the worst, he said, for the three little ones who remain.

Abe Gingerich, Jacob’s father, said the surviving children were “bruised up some” but physically all right. He declined to answer further questions. Others said the youngsters will be taken in by relatives.

And also descriptions of the scene, with a photo of canned corn lying amongst debris:

Relatives who had traveled from as far away as Wisconsin — by bus, since members of the community avoid being in cars — walked up a winding road under clear blue skies Monday afternoon to the spot where the family’s home once stood.

Chickens picked their way through the wreckage, stopping to peck at broken glass jars of corn, beets and peaches stored for winter.

The rest of it is pretty heartbreaking with descriptions of the children’s items and other debris. An English friend named Ronnie Dale Murphy had this to say: “They were such good medicine,”…“I loved that family.”

The Graves County community is a Swartzentruber Amish settlement. They made national news a decade ago over non-display of the SMV triangle, with eight Amishmen being arrested and jailed.

A separate, much shorter report by WPSD, shares comments from a bishop in the community and gives an address where donations may be sent:

Bishop Joe Stutzman tells us Jacob Gingrich, his wife and two of their children died when the storm tore through Friday. The couple, both 31, died along with two of their children, a four year old little boy and a seven year old little girl.

Three of the family’s other children survived. Funeral services are Tuesday.

Bishop Stutzman says they have no insurances. Donations can be sent to: 10035 state route 339 South, Mayfield, KY 42066.

Update (Feb 25, 2022): 40 Amish Crews Are Helping Rebuild Kentucky Homes

Severe tornadoes struck western Kentucky in December. Amish crews have been coming to help residents of the region rebuild their homes. 14 News reports on Amish help in the area:

After weeks of cleanup and tearing down houses that were too far gone, the rebuilding effort has begun, and groups of Amish people have been coming to the area to help.

Those who have received their help say it’s hard to describe how it feels.

”The easiest way to do is to say it’s been a godsend,” Perkins, whose house is being repaired by an Amish group said.

14 News spoke with a group who didn’t want to appear on camera, and they don’t want any focus to be on them. They say they’re helping because if they were the ones in need, they hope someone would be willing to help in the same way.

Their efforts have already made an impact.

”As much difference as daylight and dark,” Billy Wells, who has been organizing the rebuilding effort in the area said. “Without their help, we wouldn’t be anywhere. It wouldn’t be much different than it was the first day, and I think everybody that’s seen it will agree with that.”

Home in process of being rebuilt by Amish
Image: 14 News

Wells pegged the number of separate Amish groups helping at about 40, ranging in size from 3 people to 30.

”They’ve been a blessing to everybody in this neighborhood,” Perkins said. “They came in, they’ve helped, they just get right to work, and that’s amazing.”

Disaster relief is something the Amish excel at. It’s a form of neighborly outreach that they are well-equipped to do. Bravo to these people. There is a video report as well at the link, but I wasn’t able to embed it. No Amish appear on camera, but the groups they spoke with was from LaGrange County, Indiana (and some from even farther away).

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8 Comments

  1. Sending donation

    Anyway to find out who to make the check payable to, so a donation can be sent. Very sad for all members of the community. Especially the young children. May they be comforted and lovingly taken care of.

    1. Good question. I just wrote the reporter to ask. In worst case I would guess checks could be made out to Joe Stutzman the bishop mentioned here and I’d assume he could get them the funds, but I understand it would be best to pin it down. I’ll let you know if/what I find out.

    2. Beverly Bowers

      Tornado

      Marie,

      You can leave the “pay to the order of” on the check blank,
      And let Stutzman fill that part in..or whoever it will go to.
      Also..the post office doesn’t require a name when addressing a envelope. All that matters is the actual address! They will deliver it, no matter what the name is!
      I would just put “Stutzman”
      The mail person who has that route, will know who it is going to.

  2. T, Ruth

    Amish Accident

    Sad, to hear this. Our neighbors are related to this family & lived 10 mins.south in TN.(yrs, ago). I did email you a wk+ about a Amish family(of 9)in a accident in Medford WI.(the mother died). This was cause by a man under the influence(their not saying from what)…

  3. Concern

    Please let US ALL have CONCERN for others who lost there lives too in Kentucky from the tornado. They count too and prayers for them also. Many families lost children too. Bless them and sending prayers, Shelia

  4. Michael

    Donation

    This is so sad. How do I make out the check? Please repeat mailing address in reply.

  5. wendy

    praying

    so sad. for their poor children.
    praying Heavenly Father’s comfort for all of the victims and their loved ones.
    question: is it ok for them to have root/storm cellars?

  6. Joanne Carlson

    Who is check made to? Thanks