Sunday’s devastating storm with its 70 MPH winds brought down trees, power lines and life in general for North Texas. Particularly hard hit was Dallas proper and the Park Cities. For some it was the loss of electricity for a few hours; for others, it’s still lights out. From hundreds of stoplights and major retail centers to entire neighborhoods, it’s been a rude awakening of how reliant 21st century residents have become on electricity.
But it was also a rewarding discovery how neighbors pulled together. Consider, for instance, a fellow named Matt. This handsome six-foot fellow with the killer smile was a prime example. Sure, he had taken on life-threatening cancer twice, so a little thing like a neighborhood toppled with trees was nothing. With his chainsaw in hand, this modern-day Paul Bunyan made the rounds in his neighborhood in his red pickup truck, and was a savior for those who literally didn’t know what had hit them.
There was an elderly couple whose neighbor’s backyard tree had fallen into their yard, smashing their fence, landing on their van, and coming to rest on their rooftop. Helping them quickly became a team effort, with Matt and his chainsaw buzzing away on the roof with other neighbors and his wife Amy and still other neighbors on the ground picking up limbs as they fell.
As soon as Matt and Amy finished there, they headed to the next victim of the day.
As the night ended, the sound of Matt’s saw and those of others was heard. And so the sound of buzzing from dawn to dark has continued throughout the area thanks to Matt, Amy and many others.
Joining this effort has been an army of out-of-towners called on by Oncor to help restore the power. From nearby Gainesville to Arkansas and all around, their trucks have been as welcome as food trucks on the Fourth of July. In addition to their skill and 16-hour days, these people have been patient and sympathetic to the locals, who have pestered them with a single question: “When will I get my power back on?” Without their presence, the answer would have been more than just a couple or three days.
Unfortunately, MySweetCharity was one of those reduced to working by flashlight. We apologize for a lack of posting and will try to correct that situation as soon as possible. In the meantime, be grateful for neighbors like Matt and Amy and the professionals who are putting Dallas back together again.