Mayfield Tornado Survivors Gifted Free Cars

More than a month after a deadly EF4 tornado tore through Mayfield, Kentucky, and destroyed Rodney and Bessie Burgess' cars, the family is finally back on the road.

The Mayfield Community Foundation received enough donations to buy 10 cars to give to residents who lost their vehicles to the storm. On January 10, 2022, the foundation presented Bessie and two other people with new wheels.

"At first, I didn't think it was real," Bessie told KFVS. "It's overwhelming how nice people have been. Ever since the tornado people have just been wonderful."

"It means the world to us to at least have a way back and forth to work and stuff," Rodney added. "It's just unbelievable. Thank you."

The Mayfield Community Foundation has received more than 80 applications for vehicles. The foundation's leaders told KFVS they hope to raise more money to help donate cars to more families in the future.

According to the foundation's official GoFundMe page, the funds are "being deployed in many different ways—always directly assisting tornado relief efforts and the people affected." So far, they've raised more than $700,000.

"People from all over the country and the world have poured in money, and ironically the biggest gifts were given to the foundation anonymously," Mel Doughty, Mayfield Community Foundation's vice president, told KFVS.

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Numerous communities are still recovering from a storm system that resulted in a rash of tornadoes across six states on December 10, cutting a path of destruction that spanned 227 miles—200 of which were in Kentucky—and claiming the lives of at least 90 people.

For more information on how to help, visit Mayfield Community Foundation on Facebook.