Putnam Co. Community Dedicates Hope Park

The building of Hope Park will begin after Wednesday’s dedication of the park in the Highway 70 corridor.

“Without hope, we don’t have much,” Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said.

Three families, the Asantes, the Barnetts, and the Pitts, sold their land to the county for the building of the park. All three families lost their homes in the storm. The two acres of land at the corner of Henlsey Drive will be turned into a park for families and children.

Clint Pitts lost his sister Erin, brother-in-law Joshua, and nephew Sawyer in the tornado.

“We see it as a tragedy, and rightfully so, but to Erin, Josh and Sawyer, they certainly see it as a mere expediting of their heavenly reward,” Erin’s Brother Clint Pitts said. “And that’s why we as the grieving family and friends here below of all 19 victims can still have hope. So, I hope this park will serve as reminder to all of us that life is precious. Life is short.”

Tony and Donna Barnett lost everything in the storm. Tony Barnett said he could not come back to the community because of the memories. He said the memories are there everyday.

“That night… usually I am on top of storms, but we didn’t know it was even going to rain,” Barnett said. “And so, we went to bed not knowing anything. Of course, our phones went off, and we got up and Donna, my wife, asked, ‘Well, where are we gonna go?’ I said, ‘We ain’t got no where to go. Just come on back to bed. We’ll just put it in God’s hands.’ And that’s what we did, and of course, the lights went out, and then, I heard it. I heard them before, and so I rolled over and I said, ‘You hang on.’ And then of course, the house just exploded right there, and we was literally spinning in it. It took the bed out from under us, floor joist and everything.”

Barnett said he deals with guilt daily, wondering why he and his wife survived. He also thanked the responders and volunteers who did things big and small to help in the aftermath.

Josesph Asante said the storm reminded him that life is precious and life is short. Asante said he understood the love of the community as neighbors carried his wife from the rubble.

“There were miracles that happened after the tornado,” Cookeville High School Junior Nana Asante said. “Miracles that took the shape of neighbors and friends. Miracles that are simply kind people with loving hearts. Miracles like you, and so, now as we face the dedication of this lot, we can say that we look with straight eyes to the future and hopeful for what may come.”

Porter said community members wanted the park under one condition.

“We don’t want something that reminds us of all the sad memories. We want something that will help us look to the future,” Porter said. “What better way to look forward than watching the future generations of our children that will be playing in this new park.”

Barnett said the park gives him and the survivors comfort that children will again be playing. Over $86,000 has already been donated to build the park. The TennGreen Land Conservancy has assisted the county in purchasing the land.

Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton called last year’s tornado the saddest day in Cookeville’s and Putnam County’s history.

“And I, like many of you, experienced an almost unbearable, emotional and mental hurt as my hometown and its people suffered so much,” Shelton said. “So many heroes showed up that night to help. Heroes don’t where capes. They wear uniforms of police, fire, sheriff, THP, EMS, EMA, electric linemen, public works, doctors, nurses, dispatchers and National Guard.”

Shelton said thousands volunteered. Residents of the Upper Cumberland and beyond donated more than $2.3 million to assist the 473 victims and their families.

“The unity was amazing and much needed,” Shelton said. “The best in people showed through as they helped, prayed, donated and loved.”

Shelton asked the community to continue to pray for the families impacted by the storm.

“For families hurt, families that buried loved ones, families that lost everything,” Shelton said. “For our responders and for our community.”