On Sunday afternoon, in the midst of the recent tornadoes terrorizing much of the midwest, two EF2 tornadoes tore through and devastated Kokomo, Indiana. Although many have described the presence of the tornadoes as brief, they left the city covered in debris including flipped cars, sections of houses, and downed power lines. One of the twisters forged a destructive path of nearly 10 miles. Around 60 families had their homes completely destroyed, and another 300 homes and businesses suffered damage. Miraculously, no one was killed or seriously injured. However, nearly all of the Ross community in Kokomo was profoundly affected, and several Ross students lost everything in the disaster.
One Kokomo student, after showing up for class in sweatpants, apologized for not wearing her uniform and proceeded to share that the roof had been torn from her house and her family had been unable to get to their things. In addition, the restaurant where her husband works was hit by the tornado and will be closed for three weeks. Until the business reopens, they have no source of income.
Another student returned to her home that had been badly damaged by the storm and found people looting the homes in her neighborhood, including her own. She called the police, but they were unable to assist because they were already busy responding to all of the other calls.
These are just two of many stories of the destruction experienced in this catastrophe. Upon seeing the state of the city, Indiana Governor Mike Pence said, “I haven’t seen such devastation in a long, long time. To walk the neighborhoods is to feel even more grateful in my heart there’s no loss of life.” That thankfulness is a general feeling in the people of Kokomo as they come together and work to repair their homes and community.
This is an incredible opportunity to come around and support a part of the Ross family in desperate need. All Ross campuses are accepting donations and participating in fundraising campaigns. If you would like to join the effort, contact your local Ross campus and ask how you can help. Let’s show Kokomo what being a part of Ross is really about!