As of Tuesday, more than 230 individuals across six different states have tragically lost their lives due to Hurricane Helene, with hundreds still unaccounted for.
Among those who perished are twin brothers Khyzier and Khazmir Williams, who are thought to be the youngest victims of the hurricane. The five-week-old twins, along with their mother Kobe Williams, died when a tree fell onto their mobile home in Thomson, Georgia.
Nobody was really taking the storm seriously,” said Mary Jones, the boys’ grandmother and Kobe Williams’ mother, during an interview with Today.com. “But then it hit, and the wind was so loud. When the power went out, Kobe got really frightened. She was so worried about the babies.”
Jones and her daughter spent the entire night listening to the storm as it tore through the outside of their home. Around 5:15 a.m., Jones fed Khyzier to let her daughter get some rest, though Kobe couldn’t sleep because of how terrified she was.
Jones eventually dozed off, while her daughter stayed awake. Less than an hour later, Jones was startled awake by a “strange shushing” sound, quickly followed by an eerie stillness.
When she went to investigate, she discovered that a tree had come crashing through her daughter’s room.
“I started shouting, ‘Kobe! Please answer me! Say something!’ It was so dark, and all I could see were the tree branches.”
When she went to investigate, she discovered that a tree had come crashing through her daughter’s room.
“I started shouting, ‘Kobe! Please answer me! Say something!’ It was so dark, and all I could see were the tree branches.”
She was cradling the babies in her arms when the tree struck her head. She was trying to shield them,” recalled Markeya Jones, her granddaughter.
Hurricane Helene has become the deadliest hurricane to strike the mainland United States since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
As the cleanup efforts continue, many in the southeastern region are preparing for what could be another record-setting storm, as Hurricane Milton heads toward the Tampa Bay area.
I am at a loss for words regarding the sheer level of destruction that Hurricane Helene has left behind. It breaks my heart to see how many families and livelihoods were shattered in a matter of moments.
They blocked off the road after realizing what this elephant was carrying with its trunk
Deep within the animal realm, among the verdant forests and huge savannas, lives a unique species that goes by the name of elephant. Scientists and environmentalists have long been fascinated by these gentle giants. After years of intensive study and close observation, we now know that elephants have a profound emotional range and a grieving process that is remarkably comparable to our own.
George Wittemyer is a committed conservation biologist from Colorado State University who has spent a large amount of his professional life researching elephants. He once gave National Geographic a glimpse into his observations, illuminating the complex and mysterious mechanisms by which these majestic creatures deal with the death of a fellow herd member.
“Elephants have respect for their dead,” Wittemyer stated, “but their interaction with their dead is not something we fully understand.” Researchers have been intrigued by this mysterious part of their behaviour, which shows that when these animals experience the loss of one of their own, they react from deep-seated emotions.
Recently, Twitter user Parveen Kaswan released a video that revealed this fascinating discovery, underscoring the depth of elephants’ emotional intelligence and their distinct grieving process. The film shows a scenario on a peaceful road where all of the traffic has stopped and people are staring at an incredible sight.
A magnificent herd of elephants is crossing the street with a grace that is appropriate for their size and harmony. One elephant in particular sticks out in the parade, softly holding something in its trunk. Viewers, intrigued, quickly discover that the elephant is bearing a young, dead elephant calf, which is inert.
The herd stops quite solemnly, and the elephant carrying the small load carefully lays the dead calf on the ground. The others assemble around, creating a circle of respect. This scenario is quite moving; it conveys a sense of shared sadness and mourning.
The title of the video, as Parveen Kaswan so eloquently put it, “The family just don’t want to leave the baby.” Their behaviour is reminiscent of the solemn cortege of a deceased person.
The elephants continue to amaze and astound researchers and viewers alike with their level of emotional depth as they exhibit an instinctive reverence for the deceased and an understanding of the great grief they have experienced.
As they go on their trek, a second elephant comes up and tenderly cradles the dead calf in its trunk. Elephant herds are emotionally connected to one another, and this display of deep grieving and solidarity emphasises how capable elephants are of feeling loss and sadness.
This will move you !! Funeral procession of the weeping elephants carrying dead body of the child elephant. The family just don’t want to leave the baby.
The film serves as a moving reminder of the extraordinarily emotional lives that elephants lead and is evidence of the strong bonds that exist among animals. It’s a tale that connects our worlds and serves as a moving reminder of the intricacy and beauty of nature. Please spread the word about this post on Facebook to your loved ones so that others can also be moved by the moving scenes shown in the film.
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