They say they know tough times are ahead, but are optimistic in the face of destruction
6 Mile, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Families in Pickens County are still picking up the pieces after tornadoes ripped through their neighborhoods late Wednesday.
“You come out...and it’s like it’s a whole new place,” said Reverend Stan Crowe, who lives in 6 Mile on Rolling Hills Road, an area that was hit particularly hard.
He and his wife Darla told FOX Carolina their property is unrecognizable today from the “peaceful cove” it once was.
“Insurance adjusters were out here today. But now--the hard part comes,” Stan said.
He adds--they’ve had a little help thus far, but with 7 acres of property and an estimated 60 trees down, their task seems almost impossible.
“There was no warning,” he and Darla told FOX Carolina. Nothing.”
Footage from the family’s ring doorbell camera captured the moment an EF2 tornado hit the 6 Mile area. In it, you can see the wind build until everything gets swept off their porch in a high-velocity vortex.
“My daughter yelled ‘tornado!’” Darla said. “And we were like running with the kids and stuff.”
From Giant roots ripped out of the ground to part of a trampoline found in a tree, the damage is extensive. The family also says multiple structures on their property, including a storage shed and handmade wooden building, were picked up, moved, and crushed, like it was nothing.
Somehow though, their home is relatively untouched.
“It’s crazy,” Darla said. “It’s like there’s a circle of trees around our house, and it’s like God was protecting us.”
After all of this, the couple say they feel blessed, and are filled with gratitude.
“God has always listened to us. He was protecting us,” Stan said.
Stan is an army veteran with stage 4 cancer and told FOX Carolina it’s been hard for him just getting around to survey the damage.
That’s what makes his and his wife’s optimism despite the circumstances that much more inspiring.
They say at the end of the day: their home is still standing, their family is still together, and that’s all they need.
“If you can do nothing else for anybody--pray,” Stan said. “Because there are families here in our community who lost their homes.”
While prayers can go a long way, the family says they’ll gladly accept any help anyone can give to them during this time, especially considering Stan’s condition. Whether that’s assisting to clear debris, or donating to them directly, they say whatever you can do is a blessing to them.
The family can be reached at 864-207-6148 or 864-986-1975.
You can also email them at [email protected].
Darla owns a business in Liberty on West Front St. called Darla’s Lil’ Bits of Everything, LLC. They say you can visit and donate or buy something from them, and thank anyone in advance for their generosity.
Copyright 2022 WHNS. All rights reserved.
864-229-1211
Service Areas
