Tennessee is known to the country as "The Volunteer State." Our college football team is even named the University of Tennessee Volunteers (Vols for short). This is something I knew from a very young age about my beautiful state. However, I never truly understood why this was our nickname. This past week, my eyes were opened to what it truly means to be a part of such a beautiful state.
On Monday, November 28 and Tuesday, November 29 a wildfire swept over the Great Smokey Mountains and threatened the lives of thousands in the small tourist town of Gatlinburg, just an hour from my home. I watched I went to bed Monday night not knowing if there would be a Gatlinburg the next morning.
I almost knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would wake up to find that my favorite place on earth would be nothing but a memory the next morning. I feared for friends and their families who might not have a home to come back to. How could something like this happen to such a beautiful area?
That night, I watched with the rest of the state as the fire roared over top the Smokey Mountain. The fire came inches away from the beautiful aquarium where 1,000s of fish and animals were trapped. I watched videos of people trapped inside a hotel that once held nothing but happy memories for myself. I watched a man and his family try to escape down the mountain as fire raged on both sides of their vehicle. This was a mountain I knew, too well. My family had stayed in a cabin on that exact row for many years.
What was left Tuesday was buildings, cabins and homes disintegrated to nothing; as if they were never there at all. Although the downtown area remained unharmed, the surrounding mountains that were once green and vibrant, were now black and covered in smoke. People's families are still missing and, at this time, 13 were pronounced dead.
Through all this disaster and all this pain, God created something beautiful. What I also witnessed were 1,000s of fireman from all across the state rush to the aid of this small town. Some worked two days with hardly any sleep or even a break. I watched churches and the community open their homes, hotel rooms and restaurants to aid the victims. Some even provided free meals for the families.
I watched as million's necessities made their way to Gatlinburg from all across the state. So many, that Red Cross had to make a public announcement to stop sending items. Where else in the country does that happen? I watched as my idol, Dolly Parton, made an announcement that she would be aiding her hometown by providing a 1,000 dollars a month to the families in need until they can get back on their feet.
I always knew there was something spectacular about Tennessee and their people. I thought it might be the southern hospitality. I thought it might be the beautiful mountains. I even thought it might be the rich history felt around every corner.
But no, even when the mountains are gone and the music is hushed, the people of Tennessee will always have giving hearts and love to spread to their neighbors. God created something beautiful when he created Tennessee and the people who call it home. We truly belong to the Volunteer State.
