Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
As Madison County residents stepped out of their homes (if they could) on Wednesday, Aug. 30, they discovered a new reality filled with fallen trees and no electricity. Devastation wasn’t hard to find, and as the days progressed, so did the sticky, sweltering misery that became our new normal.
But, we were not alone in this unfamiliar plight. The good folks in Altha, Fla., in Calhoun County, remember well the thrashing they took from Hurricane Michael in 2018. They also remember people like Timmy and Jenny Dyke, Dennis and Kathy Norris and numerous other residents of Madison County who came to assist them in rebuilding their shattered lives. Those memories fueled their compassion for the people of Madison, and a large group of them quickly made the 111-mile trip to Madison, chainsaws in hand.
One Altha volunteer, Tony Hunter, pulled up a picture of what was left of his home after Michael airlifted most of it away. His family lived in a pole barn, wrapped in plastic for a month after Hurricane Michael. With tears in his eyes, he pointed to the left corner of the photo, where Timmy Dyke stood, grinning with a joy that only God could give. “I don’t know what we would have done if Timmy and that crew hadn’t come to help us,” said Tony, who recalls that the team from Madison helped put a shelter over his head remarkably fast. Though the population of Altha is only 500 residents, they showed up in a big way for Madison County, working diligently to help as many people as they could. “We remember where much of our help came from,” said one Altha resident.
A young lady showed up early one morning, just after the storm. She was up at 5 a.m., coming to Madison from Pensacola, Fla. She survived the onslaught of Hurricane Sally in 2020. She came with no group or organization. Her only companion was the memory of what it was like to live in the aftermath of a hurricane’s fury. “I remember, and I just wanted to come help in any way I could,” she said. She spent the entire day handing out food and supplies at The Bridge, offering a bright smile and words of encouragement to everyone she met.
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is another organization that earned “angel” status after the storm. Their team traveled from St. Petersburg, Fla. and set up shop at the Bridge for over a week. Unlike some government agencies, DCF connected a large variety of resources to The Bridge Pastor Charlie Matlock as he requested them. This kept a steady flow of essential items coming that Madison residents were asking for. They also registered a large number of families to receive more services in the future.
In the midst of the sadness and shock experienced after such a historical disaster, laughter proved to be good medicine for everyone. One memorable moment occurred when Lori Gibson, with DCF, was offered deer sausage. “What is that?,” Gibson asked. “I’m from the city. We don’t eat stuff like that.” After some friendly persuasion, she decided to give it a try. After the first bite, her eyes widened with delight. “Lord, this is amazing!,” exclaimed Gibson. With her initiation complete, a number of folks nearby welcomed her to “the country.”
This is a sample of the compassion that came through The Bridge in the days following the departure of Hurricane Idalia. The Madison Church of God and numerous other churches had similar experiences. Many other groups and individuals came to the aid of our community, and they will likely continue offering to help for days and weeks to come. We are extremely grateful for their kindness, and when the next storm strikes one of our communities, the folks from Madison County will be there. We, too, will remember, and we have plenty of “angels” to spare.