WELCH, W.Va. (WOAY) — The streets of Welch tell the story of a disaster that struck without mercy. Mud-covered roads, debris scattered across neighborhoods, and a truck tipped on its side at the town’s entrance—reminders of a flood unlike anything the residents have seen in years. The Tug Fork River swelled to a historic 22.1 feet, leaving devastation in its wake.
Amid the destruction, something else has emerged: the unshakable strength of the people who call this place home.
“This is McDowell County. This is what we do,” Sandi Blankenship said. “We are very much Appalachian strong, and I’m proud of that heritage.”
The flood has taken more than just property. Families have lost everything from homes to vehicles and even loved ones.
“People lost their family, cars, you have family that even lost their lives, lost their grandkids. I mean, they lost everything they had. Everything they worked hard for all their life is gone,” said Myron Brown, an employee at Rosco’s restaurant in Welch.
One of the most tragic incidents involved a truck carrying five people that was swept away by floodwaters.
Debbie and Donald Griffith were driving on Sunday, February 16, during the peak of the flood when high water swept the tuck into a river. Three children were in the back of the truck and two managed to escape after a fallen tree had broken the rear glass. Two of the children climbed out of the broken window and were rescued by first responders downstream.
Donald and Debbie Griffith, both 69 years old, died in the incident. A two-year old baby was found dead nearly 10 miles downstream.
Two of the surviving family members sat inside Rosco’s, overcome with grief.
“They came in to eat the other day, and seeing the hurt in their eyes and seeing them sit in here and cry, I felt their pain. It was devastating to just see them break down like that,” Antonio Padgett, owner and chef at Rosco’s, recalled.
And that was not the only truck that the flood claimed.
“I have a friend of mine that was in Gary trying to go across the bridge. Water came sideways and flipped his truck and flowed it down the river. He had to jump out of his truck,” Timothy Alexander, an employee at Rosco’s said.
Amidst this unimaginable tragedy, McDowell County has done what it does best and looked after its own. Local organizations, businesses, and local residents have stepped up to make sure no one gets left behind.
The Welch Food Pantry, led by Executive Director Sandi Blankenship, has worked over 80 hours this week to provide food, supplies, and baby essentials to families in need.
“We do baby food, strollers, crib beds, anything we can get our hands on. Pack and plays—we do that all the time. And then we have a kids’ food program so once a week a child gets two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, two snacks, and two drinks in that bag for the weekend,” Blankenship explained.
The food pantry, which provides over 7,000 meals a month, is struggling to keep up with demand. The biggest need right now is meat and dairy products.
“It’s really hard for us to get fresh meat, and it’s very hard for us to get dairy, like cheese and milk. A lot of people will go to a food bank and they’ll give a case of mac and cheese to share with ten people, but there’s nothing to go with it. Need a little butter, little something, you know,” Blankenship said.
Despite the shortage, they have worked hard to supply local restaurants with food to be cooked, enabling them to serve hot meals to those in need.
“That’s the right thing to do, to bless others. God blessed us like I said, and its only right that we bless others and give back. We got good hearts and we are willing to just share that love and give back to others that are in need.” Padgett said.
Rosco’s was lucky enough to avoid severe damage in the flood. Without hesitation, the staff has begun cooking free meals for flood victims, initially paying for everything out of their own pockets.
“The first couple days we did it ourselves. But since then, I want to give a big thanks to Sandi Blankenship. She donated a whole lot—it’s been a blessing,” Brown said.
For those in the kitchen at Rosco’s, there was never a question about whether they would help.
“God blessed me and my wife with this restaurant, and we are just glad that we are able to give back because we were blessed and we want to bless others,” Padgett said.
For those who have lost everything, a hot meal means more than just food. It’s a moment of comfort, a reminder that they are not alone.
Despite the extreme need for federal assistance, residents are not waiting for outside help. While Governor Patrick Morrisey has deployed the National Guard to assist with recovery efforts, no federal assistance has arrived yet.
That hasn’t stopped the people of McDowell County from showing up for each other.
“My daughter lost everything. My house had five feet of water in it. Every one of these girls out here, they’ve lost everything—and they dropped their whole life to help,” Blankenship said. “All they’ve done is work 18-hour days down here. They dropped everything. I’m not kidding you, these people have lost everything,” Blankenship said.
Through tragedy, their spirit remains unbroken.
“We’re survivors, we’ve shown that. We’ve been abandoned. We’ve been the heel of this country for a long time,” Blankenship said.
When disaster strikes, McDowell County stands together, strong, unshaken, and unwilling to leave their neighbors behind.
