Current:Home > ScamsBenjamin Ashford|Her 10-year-old son died in a tornado in Tennessee. Her family's received so many clothing donations, she wants them to go others in need. -Ascend Wealth Education
Benjamin Ashford|Her 10-year-old son died in a tornado in Tennessee. Her family's received so many clothing donations, she wants them to go others in need.
SafeX Pro View
Date:2025-04-06 21:20:51
As the Burnham family mourns the death of 10-year-old Arlan Garrick Coty,Benjamin Ashford who died during a tornado that swept through Tennessee on Saturday, donations are pouring in — so many clothing donations, his mom says, she wants them to go to others.
Arlan, a fourth grader, was one of at least six people who died when severe storms tore through central Tennessee. He didn't make it out of his house, which was in the direct path of the storm, his mother, Katherine Burnham, wrote in a Facebook post Monday.
After saying their Clarksville home was gone, Burnham admitted she and her husband "are not okay."
"We don't know how to navigate through this," she wrote. "We have no idea what is next. Anyone who knows me at all knows how much I love and adore my kids, all kids really. I cannot put into words how absolutely devastated I am."
Burham said an "entire army of people" has been helping them dig through the rubble of their house to find belongings — including drawings Arlan made in kindergarten that were recovered. On one page, he said he wanted to learn how to cook with his mom. Burnham told CBS News they got to do that – a lot.
Other friends are giving them food and helping them do laundry and one created a GoFundMe page on behalf of the family. More than $184,000 has been raised — far surpassing the fundraising goal of $5,000.
Burham told CBS News via Facebook message she wants donors to start focusing on others. "We no longer need clothes and want those donations to go to other families in need," she said. "There are so many displaced families in similar situations, my heart is broken but there is enough love and support to go around."
"When my son was born I knew he would touch so many lives, I knew he was special. This may not be how I dreamed, but he definitely touched more people than I ever even knew," Burnham said. Two other children lived in the home and survived.
She said her mind has been blown by the generosity from people around the world. "My baby is leaving an entire legacy behind."
The Clarksville Police Department identified Arlan as one of the victims, as well as 59-year-old Donna Allen, of Florida, and 34-year-old Stephen Kwaah Hayes, of Clarksville, CBS affiliate WTVF reports.
The three other victims were killed as the storm hit a mobile home community in Madison, Nashville Police said. They were identified as 37-year-old Joseph Dalton, 31-year-old Floridema Gabriel Perez and her son, 2-year-old Anthony Elmer Mendez.
At least 60 other people were taken to area hospitals and nearly 40,000 electricity customers were still without power as of Sunday morning, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us.
The storms caused a building at a Nashville church to collapse, sending 13 people to local hospitals, according to the Nashville Office of Emergency Management. On Sunday, Emergency officials were now in the "search and rescue phase of this disaster," Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said.
- In:
- Tornado
Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.
veryGood! (627)
Related
- Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
- Abortion and open primaries are on the ballot in Nevada. What to know about the key 2024 measures
- RHOBH's Teddi Mellencamp Shares Emotional Divorce Update in First Podcast Since Edwin Arroyave Split
- Erik Menendez’s Wife Tammi Menendez Shares Plea for His Release After Resentencing Decision
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- NFL power rankings Week 10: How has trade deadline altered league's elite?
- A pivotal Nevada Senate race is unusually quiet for the battleground state
- TGI Fridays bankruptcy: Are more locations closing? Here’s what we know so far
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Selena Gomez, Mariska Hargitay and More Stars Who’ve Voted in 2024 U.S. Presidential Election
Ranking
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- After Disasters, Whites Gain Wealth, While People of Color Lose, Research Shows
- 'Yellowstone' star Luke Grimes on adapting to country culture
- Zooey Deschanel Shares the 1 Gift She'd Give Her Elf Character
- Krispy Kreme offers a free dozen Grinch green doughnuts: When to get the deal
- California voters weigh measures on shoplifting, forced labor and minimum wage
- Opinion: 76ers have themselves to blame for Joel Embiid brouhaha
- GOP senator from North Dakota faces Democratic challenger making her 2nd US Senate bid
Recommendation
'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
Republican Mike Kehoe faces Democrat Crystal Quade for Missouri governor
Toss-up congressional races in liberal California could determine House control
Investigation into Ford engine failures ends after more than 2 years; warranties extended
Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
Lisa Blunt Rochester could make history with a victory in Delaware’s US Senate race
Federal authorities investigating after 'butchered' dolphin found ashore New Jersey beach
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' attorneys seek gag order after 'outrageous' claims from witness