5-year-old girl celebrates birthday at Kokomo shelter
KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) – A sense of normalcy is returning to Kokomo following last week’s tornadoes, whether it’s school, power or even a piece of cake.
On Monday, schools resumed and power was restored. This comes as many neighborhoods are still recovering from tornadoes.
While some turn to machines for comfort, 5-year-old Pheonix Pitman grabbed a coloring book after sharing a story of her most memorable moment while in the Red Cross shelter.
“Me and my mom didn’t know about it,” Pitman said. “They called us from our room, we were taking a nap.”
Pheonix’s birthday was a week before the storm. The tornado destroyed gifts.
This is why volunteers turned the make-shift cafeteria into a birthday party.
“Then I saw all of the presents on the table, and then they sang happy birthday to me,” Pitman said.
Other victims got good news, too. The Red Cross said the majority of people have moved out.
“We are down to about 15 residents in the shelter after starting with 220,” shelter manager Wendy Starr said. “So we’ve made progress.”
They might have moved out of the shelter, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they have a place to go. The Red Cross said new numbers show 400 homes were either destroyed, or badly damaged.
“I don’t know what type of timeline we’re dealing with here,” Starr said. Duke Energy says it hit its timeline.
51,000 customers went dark Wednesday. Four-hundred employees fixed lines and poles. By Sunday, power was restored.
“This was amazing to see,” Duke Energy Government and Community Relations Manager Kevin Johnston said. “I would be happy to work the rest of my career and never have to go through this again.”
It’s new to Pheonix, too. And now this 5-year-old’s surprise party memories most likely sum up how the rest will remember the storm. “I was kind of smiling and crying,” Pitman said.
The Red Cross will re-evaluate how long the shelter will remain open Tuesday. It’s preparing for its next step, helping people get financial assistance. The organization is trying to open a client service center by Tuesday.