Milla Reese | Submitted PhotoToppled trees crushed Sunshine Acres homes in the path of a deadly tornado Sunday morning.

ADEL – Residents of a trailer park devastated by a deadly tornado returned Tuesday to collect belongings and assess the damage to their homes.

Sunshine Acres was the site of seven Cook County deaths Sunday when a tornado tore into the mobile homes.

Alexis Livingston, Adrian Mays, Lawansa Perry, Mary Cantrell, Jamie Walters, Amanda Rowe and Joe Deskins are the Sunshine Acres residents killed during the storm, Cook County Coroner Tim Purvis said.

Georgia State Patrol troopers blocked entry to the mobile home park, only allowing residents to cross the blockade.

Tearful survivors exited the park with the few belongings they could salvage.

For Michael Lang, it was a bittersweet reunion as he found his kitten, Bella, among the wreckage.

“It feels good to have her in my arms,” Lang said. “She was supposed to make it through this with me. I thank God for that.”

Lang is staying at the First Baptist Church shelter in Adel.

He said the roof of his home collapsed and most of his belongings are too damp to salvage. Luckily, his car still functions.

The Georgia Forestry Commission began removing some of the fallen timber on Caulie Harris Road which neighbors Sunshine Acres.

Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency for 16 counties including Atkinson, Baker, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Lowndes, Mitchell, Thomas, Turner, Wilcox and Worth.

The executive order runs through midnight Jan. 30, according to a press release from Deal’s communication office. Deal plans to visit affected areas Wednesday, Jan. 25, according to the governor’s office.

The storm also led to seven other deaths throughout South Georgia – two in Berrien County, two in Brooks County and three in Dougherty County.

Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler confirmed officials are still searching shelters for missing family members in Dougherty. He said many missing people were found in shelters. Fowler said he did not have an official number of how many people are still considered missing.

In Berrien County, Sheriff Ray Paulk named the two fatalities as Russell and Ann Nix of Old Lois Road. They were asleep in their home when a tree hit the house, he said.

Ann Nix was a retired Berrien County High School teacher who was well known to several state legislators, including Rep. Jason Spencer, who was one of her students.

“We’ve lost a very important person in the lives of people in Berrien County this weekend. It’s hard to take,” Spencer said.

In Brooks County, Coroner Michael Miller confirmed the two fatalities as Jesse Newsome and his wife, Betty. Their mobile home, located just west of Barney on Ga. 122, was picked up and thrown 100 yards, he said, with shredded remnants of the building found along both sides of the highway.

Their niece, Melissa McKinnon, was among those examining the wreckage later in the day.

“They had lived there nine or 10 years,” she said. “He raised me.”

Many people and organizations are offering aid to people affected by the storms.

Monetary donations can be made to the Adel Tornado Relief Fund at Cook Community Bank.

Clothing donations can be delivered to Urban Revival, 2903 N. Patterson St. Donations will be accepted all week.

A Facebook page, Adel Tornado Relief, has been created with updates on needed items and where to donate.

A consumer alert was sent out by the office of Attorney General Chris Carr reminding residents to be aware of potential scams.

“Sadly enough, con artists often exploit disasters by taking advantage of storm victims or preying on the sympathies of those who want to help out,” Carr said in a statement.

People wishing to report a potential scam can contact the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit, 1-800-869-1123 toll-free outside of the metro Atlanta calling area.

More resources can be found online at consumer.ga.gov.

 

Senior reporter Terry Richards and Statehouse reporter Jill Nolin contributed to this story.

Desiree Carver is Lifestyles Editor at the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be reached at (229) 375-5777.