COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Cookeville veteran who lost his home in the March tornado received a helping hand from volunteers located as far out as New York.
On March 3, an EF-4 tornado ripped through Middle Tennessee, hitting Putnam County the hardest. Nineteen people in Cookeville were killed, including five children. Some were veteran Luke Carty's friends and neighbors.
"It hit and obliterated every house on street," Carty said. "Only two houses out of 19 homes in my neighborhood weren't totaled."
For five months, Carty and his wife Amy have been renting but last month they bought a new home. It still needed some work, including a roof replaced.
After his fellow members of nonprofit organization A Soldier's Journey Home heard his plea, they answered. The organization builds cost-free homes for wounded veterans in the most need.
On Sunday nearly 30 volunteers from 16 different states showed up to replace Carty's roof.
"The response was incredible," he said.
Carty served in the U.S. Air Force for three years before he was medically discharged.
