In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the Burnham family is grappling with the loss of their beloved 10-year-old son, Arlan Garrick Coty, who tragically succumbed to the devastating tornado that swept through Tennessee on a fateful Saturday. This grieving family, amidst their sorrow, has found solace in the unwavering support of their community, a testament to the resilience and compassion of the human spirit during times of adversity.
Arlan, a fourth-grader with boundless dreams and aspirations, became one of the casualties of the tornado that ravaged central Tennessee, claiming at least six lives. Trapped in their home’s path, young Arlan’s life was tragically cut short. His mother, Katherine Burnham, took to Facebook to share the depth of her grief and the family’s struggle to cope with this overwhelming loss. She expressed, “We don’t know how to navigate through this. 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.”
In the midst of this heartbreak, the Burnham family has been buoyed by their compassionate community. An entire army of people rallied around them, sifting through the debris of their shattered home, salvaging precious belongings, including kindergarten drawings that captured Arlan’s dreams. Among those dreams was his desire to cook with his mother, a wish that had been fulfilled on countless occasions.
Neighbors and friends stepped forward, providing essential support such as food and assistance with laundry. A GoFundMe page, set up by a close friend, astoundingly surpassed its initial goal of $5,000, raising over $184,000 in a remarkable display of generosity.
Katherine Burnham, touched by this outpouring of support, made a heartfelt plea via Facebook, saying, “We no longer need clothes and want those donations to go to other families in need. There are so many displaced families in similar situations, my heart is broken, but there is enough love and support to go around.” She reflected on her son’s incredible impact on the world, stating, “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.” Thankfully, the Burnham family has two other children who survived the tornado.
Tragically, the storm also claimed the lives of other innocent victims, including 59-year-old Donna Allen from Florida and 34-year-old Stephen Kwaah Hayes from Clarksville. In Madison, three more lives were lost in a mobile home community, identified as 37-year-old Joseph Dalton, 31-year-old Floridema Gabriel Perez, and her 2-year-old son, Anthony Elmer Mendez. The devastating tornado left over 60 individuals hospitalized and nearly 40,000 electricity customers without power in its wake.
As the community enters the “search and rescue phase of this disaster,” as announced by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the region continues to grapple with the aftermath of this devastating tornado. The Burnham family’s selfless act of redirecting donations to those in need serves as a shining example of the enduring human spirit, ready to rise above adversity and lend a helping hand when it’s needed most.
