IMAGE GALLERY: Tornado Uproots Homes and Families

Westborough Patch photojournalist traveled to Brimfield and witnessed the devastation of property and lives. She shares this account and dozens of photos from her time there. 

Sometimes events happen that knit humanity together and bring mortality into focus as never before. These events, tangible reminders of the fragility of life, expose the very souls of those directly affected. For those observing from the outside, raw emotion sparks empathy and compassion as lives are forever altered. Faith is tested, blessings are counted and people dig deep to reveal a fortitude unequaled.

The tornado which touched down in Massachusetts on June 1 was one of these events. Hitting first Springfield and then a string of towns including Westfield, Brimfield and Monson, the tornadoes left a path of destruction. It uprooted trees and houses as well as the lives of residents, many of whom lost literally everything including four who lost their lives. 

Among those who sustained a “total loss” was Bob Lamy of Brimfield. On the afternoon of June 1, Bob, owner of Bob’s Aluminum Supply, was working in Rhode Island installing a custom screen room. As he wrapped up his day, Bob stood talking to the homeowner who inadvertently leaned against the power lock button on his truck door. Unaware, Bob shut the door and went to gather the last of his tools. He returned to the truck to find that his keys were still in the truck and he was locked out. Two hours later, after a call to AAA and tiresome waiting, he was on the road back to Brimfield. 

The home Bob had left in the early hours of Wednesday morning was a 2-story log cabin which he had built himself from the ground up. Nestled in the woods on a hilltop, the home boasted a sprawling outdoor patio and large stone waterfall. A detached sunroom was a frequent gathering place. There was also a barn which housed his “toys” and chicken coop. “It was like a resort up here,” Bob added of  his private, secluded home. 

As he drove home on Wednesday, Bob fielded two frantic calls from his wife who took shelter in town. What he would find when he returned home would forever change the landscape of his life, both literally and figuratively. Bob’s home was nearly leveled, leaving nothing but a partial shell of the first floor and what remained of the chimney. In just minutes, a tornado had flipped his boat and bent its trailer in half, lifted and thrown the granite kitchen countertop out into the yard, completely destroyed his house, barn and personal belongings and left nothing but shattered dreams in its wake. 

Standing among the remains of his home, Bob notices a breeze, something he had not felt prior to Wednesday. “I was here yesterday,” he said, “and got a sunburn. I never felt the wind or the sun nestled up here in the woods.” Looking out over the broken and uprooted trees, he added, “I could never see any of the homes in my neighborhood or down the road.” All this has changed. 

Still, amidst the rubble, is the blessing that both he and his wife are unharmed. Had Bob’s customer not locked him out of his truck, Bob would have been home when the tornado hit.  

Luckily, the family who lived next door were out as well when their home was destroyed. Children’s toys are strewn about the debris as a teddy bear hooded towel hangs draped over a fallen tree. A shattered crib, pieces of a swing set, a lone sandal and an uncracked egg lay in the yard. All reminders of what was. All pieces of the puzzle that was a home. Still, there is the silver lining found in knowing that the family escaped injury.

As the dust has begun to settle, stories of survival have begun to surface. Across the street from Bob a neighbor and her children clung to lolly columns in their basement while their home was lifted off its foundation and thrown by the tornado.  

As Bob and his neighbors begin the process of cleaning up and moving forward, volunteers, food and help is needed. The American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay is accepting donations of any size to help the residents of those communities devastated by the tornadoes in Central and Western Massachusetts. Donations can be made online at http://redcross.org or by phone: 1-800-RED-CROSS. Those who wish to donate can also text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to send $10 to the organization. 

Our Whiz Kids column this afternoon will share the story of two Westborough students who are doing their part to help the Massachusetts tornado victims.

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