NGU students help hurricane victims in need
Adam Kelly, Assistant Editor
From left to right: NGU sophomore George Case, Josh Sundt, Caleb Sundt and sophomore Bradley Sundt in front of a tree root that fell near a house.
This hurricane season has received widespread attention due to the number of tropical cyclones forming in the Atlantic. Currently, 2017 has had eight hurricanes, four of them reaching category three or above. The season has not been this active since 2005, and is also only one of six years to include at least two category five hurricanes: Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.
Since Hurricane Irma’s dissipation on September 15, people have continued to work on rebuilding what was lost in the storm. The hurricane caused significant damage in the Caribbean and the Florida Keys. Some families have lost everything in the storm, but people have come together to help them out.
On September 12, NGU sophomore Bradley Sundt went out with a group and helped people needing assistance during Hurricane Irma’s path through the east coast. Along with Sundt, brothers Josh and Caleb Sundt, as well as NGU sophomore George Case, joined to help the cause. South Carolina State Representative Josiah Magnuson of District 38 lent a hand as well.
The group posted ads on Facebook, receiving hundreds of responses from people who asked for help. Families that needed assistance sent photos and videos explaining their situations and what they needed help with. People who were safe sent their support and prayers out to the group.
With two trucks and a trailer, the team went out to help as many people as they could.
“We helped remove a huge tree that fell on a car. We removed other uprooted and fallen trees as well as smaller brush that got in the way of people’s houses. Several elderly people called us needing help, many who had lost major amounts of their property,” said Sundt.
Members of Sundt’s team moving fallen debris.
Moving and cutting down fallen trees was not the only thing they did. While at work, the group answered phone calls from families that had their houses and cars taken out by fallen debris.
The party were able to meet many people helping out. Neighbors of the families that needed help came out to lend a hand for their friends.
“Neighbors were helping each other dig out and assess damage and clean up. There was a couple that loaded up their truck with tools and they were just driving around and helping their neighbors out however they could,” said Sundt.
Although they were not able to respond to everyone, the group helped out as many families as they could.
Josiah Barrows, Josh Sundt, George Case and Bradley Sundt moving debris onto a trailer.
“This was an amazing emotional, spiritual and life-changing experience for me. It was an amazing day and I am very thankful God gave us the opportunity to help our neighbors out,” said Sundt.
Through an ad on Facebook, NGU students were able to come together and help people during a time of need.
