‘There needs to be more people like this’: Neighbors help with clean up after tornado hits Darke County

Lonnie Moyer, who lives near Greenville High School, said he was grateful for his friend Andrea Arthur, who came by in the morning to help debris.

Arthur posted on Facebook Tuesday night asking if anyone needed help.

“I told her I could really use some help since I’m a disabled man and my mother is not able to do anything,” Moyer said.

Students from Greenville High School were also out in the neighborhood helping clean up yards.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington confirmed damage in the Greenville area was from a tornado. A final assessment with additional details will be released once the storm survey is completed.

Moyer was watching the sky Tuesday night when he saw clouds moving in from two opposite directions.

“I saw them kind of mixing together and then spinning a little,” he said. “I never saw it touch down, but then it started to hail and heavy rain and the wind picked up.”

Moyer helped his mother inside from the porch and a neighbor started heading home.

“He said it felt like it was lifting him off the ground,” Moyer explained. “Probably not 10 second after he got in the house that tree went down.”

His family stayed in the utility room as the storm moved through the aera. When he tried to look outside, all he could see was debris and other items flying through the air.

Once the storm calmed down, he went outside and took in the damage.

Moyer praised Arthur and others who came out to help their neighbors.

“I appreciate them wholeheartedly,” he said. “There needs to be more people like this in the world that want to help one another.”

Brenda Pollitt’s house was damaged during the storm. The roof was ripped off the home and the sky was visible through parts of the ceiling.

She was with her family Tuesday when they heard a big boom and all went to the basement.

“Then it was over just seconds later,” Pollitt said. “The house was really quiet...Almost the whole upstairs in gone.”

The most important part though, is that her family is safe.

“All this can be replaced, my family cannot,” she said.