It's been one week since an EF-1 tornado ripped through the city of Warner Robins and one daycare owner is still cleaning up.
Keshia Thompkins-Gassaway owns Thompkins Tiny Tots on Davis Drive and debris and trees still scatter her yard. Claire Davis spent the day with her to learn more about what's happening now that the storm has passed.
It's a quiet morning at Keshia Thompkins-Gassaway's daycare in Warner Robins. She's getting ready for more than 20 children to walk through the door.
But last week, her routine quickly changed. Gassaway says she was watching two children when a tornado came barreling through. She says she hid in the bathtub with the kids until it was over. “Thank God for technology because I had my cell phone, even though it didn't work, but I let her look at some of the pictures on the phone to keep her calm,” said Gassaway.
A tree landed on her SUV, crunching in the roof. Two trees still lie in the yard. “Oh, my truck! But that's okay because it can be replaced. You can't dwell on it. If it's gone, it's gone,” said Gassaway.
Downed power lines kept Gassaway stuck inside the daycare for more than five hours. “The lines were down. My landline was down. My cell phone wasn't working and then people were like walking by not seeing and I'm like do they actually check to see if anybody is home in these places? And so it was nerve-wracking,” said Gassaway.
Houston County Emergency Management Agency volunteers went door to door helping folks clean up the mess, but Gassaway still has a massive tree down in the backyard. “We really have to get down on the back. The debris and the trees from one in my yard and several from the next yard over. We have to clean it because the children can't go outside,” said Gassaway.
But for now, she says she’s thankful. “We’re still here. Things can go on,” said Gassaway.
On Monday until Wednesday, Houston County Emergency Management Agency Director Jimmy Williams says volunteers started the cleanup process. He says so far they've completed 6 out of the 8 zones that were impacted. He says he hopes to see crews back at it on Saturday.