Man plays piano in home ravaged by Ky. tornado
KENTUCKY (NewsNation) — After returning to his home the morning after a tornado destroyed it, ripping the roof of the building, Kentucky man Jordan Baize was having trouble starting the clean-up process.
There was so much to do, Baize said, but it was hard for him to focus on any one task after such a tragedy.
So, to calm his mind, Baize started to play a Yamaha grand piano that was still standing in the corner of the room.
“That’s what music does for me, especially Christian music,” Baize said on NewsNation’s “Morning in America.”
His sister took a video, which went viral. Less than a week later, Baize was invited to play the same song at the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
Baize is one of the many people dealing with the aftermath of 61 tornadoes that spanned eight states from Arkansas to Kentucky on Dec. 10. Killing at least 90 people, more people died in the 2021 storms than in previous tornadoes from 2016-2018 combined. Almost two months later, many are still struggling with homelessness and piles of debris surrounding the areas where the tornado hit the hardest, especially in Kentucky.
Officials have said rebuilding could take years.
Baize has not been able to rebuild his own house yet, but he said he and his family are going to be able to.
“That’s our plan,” Baize said. “It’s just a slow process right now.”
For the time being, Baize and his family are staying in an apartment above an office, where said they are comfortable and happy.
“So many of our friends and neighbors are still dealing with debris and cleanup,” Baize said. “There’s been a few folks who have been able to start the rebuilding process.”
A lot of people are staying with family, too, Baize said.
“It’s such a tight-knit community here,” Baize said. “I wouldn’t want to live in any other kind of place.”