COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WTVF) — Family, co-workers, and friends are remembering tornado victim Cheryl Lovett.
She died when a tornado ripped through their family's property in Maury County on Wednesday.
"Only way we are gonna get through this is support and the army of family, friends, strangers that have showed up. That is a blessing," Cheryl's daughter, Brie Lovett, said.
Lovett said she was on her on porch when it got quiet on May 8.
"My best friend had got through on my phone and yelled, 'take cover!' My brother ran to get his 3-month-old twins. I dove head first in my closet as the tornado destroyed my home," Lovett said.
Then, Brie found out her mother, Cheryl, died from her injuries from the storm nearby. Her great aunt, Penny, is also hospitalized.
Here's a look at the damage at Brie's home:
To help her family donate here.
In addition, her work started her a second GoFundMe page.
On Saturday, Tracy Williams has organized a motorcycle run to benefit the family, too.
Cheryl worked at Stan's Market and Restaurant for nearly 40 years in Columbia. "She was definitely our country mama," server Rose Thornton said.
Wednesday she retired. She told Rose her time here was up. Thornton said, “My mind doesn’t want to give up, my heart doesn’t, but my body’s tired, she was like 'I’m ready to rest.'”
Hours later, a tornado hit Cheryl's home and she was killed. “Knowing now that she’s not ever going to walk through that door, we’re never guna see her smile come through that door, Cheryl has the biggest prettiest smile you will ever meet,” Thornton said.
It's devastating for Rose. “We are very emotional about this because Cheryl wasn’t just an employee she was our family too," Thornton said, "We cared about her.”
She'll cherish the happy memories with Cheryl. "If we were down or something ya know she would pick at us and aggravate us just to make us feel better," Thornton said.
And now when she serves here, Cheryl's memory will live on. Thornton said, "Cheryl will never be gone here."
