West Texas

I got this email earlier today and sharing it with you tonight.

Just received this from a son who has friends in West.  This needs to be shared.  FEMA wasn't needed or wanted.  My husband was in Whitney on Tuesday visiting with friends.  Hill County had already raised a lot of money for West, and within two days, Wal-Mart had filled the local community center with every kind of supply needed.

The following comes from a friend living near Abbott, TX. A group of us do business with him. The following is his account of the West, TX explosion that he sent to us. I only edited out personal information and did a couple of spell checks for him, but left the rest as written. Notice the parts about FEMA, money and guns. Nothing against the individual human beings working for FEMA, but the government control of charities??  I take issue. And what "authorities" are coming into people's homes while they are out helping their town, their families and friends, and TAKING GUNS from their homes???  Breaking and entering???  I'm sorry, what country do we live in today???  I will be out to talk to him in May in person.

~TC

Thanks to all of you that called to check on me after the West explosion. 

The blast was so strong that it sucked the doors open on the _____ barn when it happened, _____ who works for me, came out and said even the inside doors flew open.  The next day I noticed cracks in the mortar in the block walls. And the farm is about 8-9 miles from there.  I had friends from Waxahachie, FW, and Ennis tell me they felt-heard the blast.

We did not lose any family, had some with cuts and bruises, my wife's sister and her son that live next door to her lost their house, in all about 6 family members lost homes, they say about 70 houses were destroyed. They said 12 firemen are dead. I knew about half of them.

My son lives about 1 mile from there, he is behind the big hill right before you get to West that the construction for the highway has moved all the dirt, it didn't break his windows, the force from the blast opened a pair of French doors on his patio, houses next to him that were not behind the hill had windows broke.  My daughter and son in law live about 2 miles east of Abbott, about three miles from the farm, their place is on flat ground out in the open about 6 miles from West, my son in law was outside and said the blast knocked him down.

It is amazing all the help, food, water, and clothes and money that had been donated, West lost 3 of 4 fire trucks, and two of its ambulances.  A local company had a $600,000 big fire truck and donated it to the city.

M&M Mars gave $50,000 and GM gave $100,000.

FEMA came into town on Monday and said they will be in charge of everything including the money.  I heard that you have to specify where your donation is to go or FEMA takes the money.  The people of West did not ask for them nor do they want FEMA there.  The President is coming on Thursday; the feeling is they don't need him there for a photo op.

Some of the people, when they got to back to their homes, noticed their guns were missing.  Everyone thought they had been stolen, and wondered how it could of happened with all the law in the area. Turns out that they were not stolen but were taken by authorities for safekeeping.  Sure.

Westborogh Baptist Church is coming to protest at the big memorial at Baylor and they say at the funerals. People are already organizing to show them they are not welcome in Texas.

Sorry this turned into an anti-government rant, but that's how I feel and I don't think I am alone.  The people of West are good people.  Not once did anyone here say, who is going to come help me, they did not have to, it is coming from all over and from their churches, or lay blame on anyone, even the fertilizer company, they see this as a horrible accident.  Anderson Cooper was in town and could not believe what was going on, the bakeries and cafes that were open were giving out free food and all kind of businesses from all over the state set up in town to provide all kind of things.

Thank you all.

When my phone rang till 1:00 AM that night and I had numerous text message and e-mails I realized how big my business family really is.