Belmont family spreads messages of positivity amid storm cleanup

Mar 29, 2024

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Jim Wisnewski and his wife Kathleen Conklin saw the brunt of Thursday night's tornado.

"Yeah, this was completely covered," said Wisnewski pointing at his lawn that was once littered in limbs and trees.

While most of the small things are cleaned up around their Belmont property, they still have thousands of pounds of trees on top of their log cabin home.

"We have some big trees still on the roof, but the insurance people they have to look at that," said Wisnewski.

He described what it was like hearing the world around him come crashing down.

"We went down the basement with our blanket and pillow and flashlights and whatnot," said Wisnewski. "We weren't down there very long. And got settled in place. And bang. It was like an explosion all at once."

For him and Conklin, the only thing devastating was the damage, with very little impact to their spirits.

"We still have each other and our family and everybody was is fine," said the couple together.

Wisnewski even had the idea of putting up positive, and funny, signs on some of the most damaged areas.

"I wake up early, I woke up about 4:00 as I usually do, and started making these signs and then posting them all around around here," said Wisnewski.

Some signs around the property, even thanking the over 20 volunteers, some the couple didn't even know, and utility workers, for coming up and helping out after the storm.

"What we witnessed was a lot of love," said Wisnewski. "A lot of love coming our way. So many people."

And while evidence of debris can be found in a trailer parked in the driveway, or piled to the side, everyone leaving the home is left with this last message:

"Pray for our Nation... And Belmont"

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