Duette Tornado: How to Help The Victims

DUETTE, FL — Tampa Bay area residents looking for ways to help the family that was struck by Manatee County’s Sunday morning tornado will find a fundraiser has been established.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office shared the information after receiving “numerous calls and emails from people wanting to help the victims of this morning’s tornado,” the agency wrote in an email to media.

Brendan Betancourt kicked off the fundraiser shortly after news of the death of two people and the injury of five broke Sunday morning. Betancourt is a friend of Jason Hessinger, the father of one of the little girls injured during the EF2 tornado. Hessinger, Betancourt said, is a fire medic. His fiancée Leah Patten is a nurse.

“During last night’s severe weather, and tornado our fellow brother and family had a life changing event occur,” Betancourt wrote on GoFundMe. “Justin’s fiancee’s parents were killed while sheltering in place in Duette, Florida, and Faith Patten (7) daughter of Justin and Leah is currently at All Children’s Hospital for injuries sustained from the incident.”

The fundraiser has a $10,000 goal. It had raised more than $4,500 as of Sunday afternoon.

According to the National Weather Service, the storm, which struck around 4 a.m., has been confirmed as a tornado, believed to be an EF2 in strength. A similar EF2 tornado touched down in Cape Coral last weekend, packing estimated high winds of 132 mph. On Friday, an EF1 tornado touched down in Fort Myers, as well, causing damage in that community.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the tornado caused extensive damage to the mobile home at 40305 Albritton Road. Steven Wilson, 58, and Kelli Wilson, 51, were killed. Steven M. Wilson, 38, and four children, two boys and two girls, between the ages of 6 and 10 were all hospitalized.

As of 1:40 p.m. Sunday, the sheriff’s office reported the two girls were in serious condition. The two boys are listed in stable condition, as is Stephen M. Wilson. The sheriff’s office said three of the children are siblings and the other girl is a cousin. Their names are not being released. As of Sunday afternoon, authorities believed the injuries the four children and Stephen M. Wilson suffered are not life threatening.

The elder Steven Wilson, the sheriff’s office said in an email to media, died at the scene. Kelli Wilson was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

To donate to the fundraiser, visit GoFundMe online.