West Virginians are a proud bunch. (See https://polebilly.com/2020/11/08/gray-skies-smilin-at-me/) They endure and they overcome by nature. It is instilled in them. This past week though, has been a true test of their will to survive. There has been a lot of media coverage of Texas and all the horrible conditions there, which by no means am I making light of or comparing. Texas needs all of our prayers right now. But I noticed there has been no mention of West Virginia in the media, which is par for the course, and West Virginia has been hit hard recently as well.

The same ice and snow storms that have decimated parts of Texas arrived in West Virginia afterward. For the sake of this post, I am referring to Huntington specifically. I have heard countless stories of survival and seen numerous pictures of eerily beautiful yet destructive scenery from family and friends. They have been struggling, and they have been conquering.

In 2020 (the same as the previous 20 years) Huntington, West Virginia was designated as a Tree City USA Community by the Arbor Day Foundation. This honor was bestowed for the abundance of trees in the city that are maintained, as well as the new trees that are planted. If you’ve ever been to Ritter Park in Huntington, you’ve seen the impressive rows of trees that line the pathway and add an ambiance to the city’s center. Many streets in Huntington are lined with trees just like these. They tower above the ground with regal stature, many of them very old. Old trees are beautiful, but they can become very dangerous under ice and heavy snow.

This past week, Huntington was hit with several ice and snow storms. The majestic trees in several neighborhoods suffered under the weight. As they began to crack and topple, power was lost from the weight of branches and entire trees falling onto power lines. It’s not unusual for some Huntington neighborhoods to lose power briefly in a wild spring storm, but the past week has been an unprecedented tree event.

I have heard from several friends and from family. They describe the sounds of trees breaking and branches (or entire trees) falling under the weight of inches of ice. This terrifying sound was all they heard through the night as they had no electricity and the nights were eerily still except for the sound of Mother Nature cracking under the pressure. Electricity is one of those things we take for granted. No electricity can mean no lights, no cooking, no hot water, no charging electronic devices, no way to work, no refrigeration, and no heat, among other things. I have family and friends that have been deeply affected by these storms. They have lived through temperatures in the teens or lower with no heat and no hot water. The lucky ones had generators, but not all did. Some sat in running cars to stay warm through the day. Some put their perishable groceries outside so they wouldn’t lose food due to the refrigerator not being on. Some had damaged vehicles from falling trees, or worse, damage to their homes. Roadways were impassable due to the constant falling of trees that blocked any way in or out of their neighborhoods. Some stayed in hotels downtown where the situation wasn’t as bad, but hotel rooms were almost impossible to find as people filled them up daily. Some stayed in their homes with a fireplace going for heat and cooking, some had kerosene heaters or gas heaters, and some had nothing at all and stayed in their homes anyway. Lives were lost from accidents on the road due to icy conditions or a tree falling at just the wrong moment. Families and friends came together in the one home that happened to have some form of heat or a generator and lived together during the week. Many couldn’t get to work, or couldn’t work at all without power at their places of business. Grocery stores and ATMs couldn’t accept debit cards, phone service was spotty, and internet services were interrupted.

My mother’s neighbor is in her nineties and stayed in her home with no power during the entire storm. I have family and friends with damaged cars from falling trees. Some put their own safety second as they tried to get to others in need. Many offered up their extra rooms, or even their couches or floors to those without any means of staying warm. My daughter and her baby spent one night sleeping on cardboard at a store that had power and heat just because she couldn’t get any place else that night as her husband was at work, and her own home was without heat.

Yet, I am happy to say that my family and friends have persevered these trials. I am not surprised; it’s part of who they are. They are survivors. They are strong, proud West Virginians. Even through all the harship I’ve seen picture after picture capturing the beauty of the landscape which they still appreciated through the storm. There is beauty as well as heartache to be found in tribulation. These storms mirror the people of West Virginia; hard yet beautiful and persisting. They will go on, like the oldest tallest trees and the hills of West Virginia. Please keep them in your prayers as they recover from nature’s harsher side.