Neighbor helping neighbor: Storms brings out the best of people in Coosada

Holley Cannon has been living on Meadow Lane Drive in Coosada for 15 years. She has seen neighbors come and go but after Sunday’s possible tornado passed through she saw neighbor helping neighbor.

The storm left first responders without the ability to get into the neighborhood just off Airport Road.

“It was locked down in here,” Cannon said while helping to clear a neighbor’s yard Monday. “You couldn’t get out and you couldn’t get in. Power lines were down. Trees were down.”

Cannon said the worst of the storm passed in five minutes and soon after she waschecking on neighbors. But she wasn’t the only one outside following the storm event.

“It was all pouring rain,” Cannon said. “All the neighbors were out. Everyone was asking, ‘You OK? You OK? Yes, we’re good.’”

The home next to Cannon’s was basically destroyed by two trees falling on it.

“On Sundays there are usually a bunch of (people) over there,” Cannon said. “They cook out. Thank God nobody was there. It took out pretty much that whole house.”

Cannon and neighbors went to check on Kristin Hand, whose home and car were closed off by fallen trees.

“She couldn’t get out,” Cannon said. “She had just had surgery. They got her out [Monday] morning.”

Cannon now has a trampoline in her backyard.

“It’s not ours,” Cannon said. “It’s the state bird of Alabama during a tornado.”

Just down the street Tanya Roberts Golden was taking cover with her family as the possible tornado struck.

“I never heard it, I was screaming,” Golden said. “I was getting everyone safe.”

Golden’s cat Meme was resting near an electrical outlet that had been ripped from the wall. In her yard was a carport from a few houses down the street.

“There is this dryer vent,” Golden said. “I’m not sure where it came from.”

Volunteers with the Elmore County EMA were in the neighborhood checking on residents and giving out tarps. Golden was thankful for the temporary covering.

“I called Allstate at 2 a.m.,” she said. “I just got turned down for emergency services. I have holes in [the storage shed], in the garage. They won’t assign me an adjuster. They say they have 24 to 48 hours.”

Like many in the neighborhood, Golden didn’t have power Monday.

“I have an electrician lined up,” Golden said. “He has to do work before they can hook the power back on. But I need insurance to say something.”

Golden is like most and understands it might take a while for things to return to normal.

“It’s going to be a long process but we will get it back,” Golden said. “I have been up for two days. Had I known this was coming I would have gone to bed earlier the night before.”

Central Alabama Electric Cooperative reported more than 6,000 customers without power at approximately 10 p.m. Sunday. As of 3 p.m. Monday the cooperative was reporting about 200 customers without power.