NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Logan Ryan moved his family to Nashville when he signed with the Titans three years ago, and was quickly embraced by the city. Even though he's about to become a free agent, Ryan was inspired to action Tuesday after seeing the swath of destruction this storm caused to the place he calls home.
“Man, I was shocked,” Logan Ryan said Tuesday night. “I’ve never seen anything as drastic as this seems to be.”
Like many Nashvillians, Ryan awoke Tuesday morning to images of the destruction left behind by the tornado that ripped through parts of the city overnight.
Heartbroken and determined to help, Ryan went to work even from vacation in Florida with his family.
“Nashville is my home,” Ryan said. “I love the community, I love the people. They’ve supported me so much, and I’ve got to find a way to help.”
A devout animal lover, Ryan founded the Ryan Animal Rescue Foundation a few years ago. After seeing the damage caused by the storm, he wanted to make sure pet owners and their four-legged love ones got the care they needed.
“When tragedies happen, when disaster happens, what families need to do is they need to find shelter, they need to find food and water, they need to find assistance. What are you going to do with your animals?” Ryan asked.
The Ryan Animal Rescue Foundation is partnering with Nashville Humane and Metro Animal Care to steer storm victims to emergency shelters. There are two locations open around the clock at Cenntennial Sportsplex in Nashville and Holy Rosary Church in Donelson.
“Humans can come get and get assistance and get help,” Ryan said. “And you can also get help for your animals – temporary boarding – that can help all pet owners affected by the storm.”
My Second Home in Franklin and VCA Animal Hospitals multiple locations are also offering free boarding for pets of families affected by the storms over the next few days. Ryan also plans to start fundraising immediately, through his foundation, to raise money to help rebuild Crossroads Campus shelter in Germantown after it was destroyed by the tornado.
First steps to helping pet lovers return to normal after the storm.
