Arbor Day tornado survivor says Salvation Army helped him maintain life while picking up the pieces
By Joe Harris /
Share Story
ELKHORN, Neb.—On April 26, 2024, Max Kiemde left work early when tornado sirens went off.
“I started driving in town to go pick up my kid,” he said. “I picked up my kid and a siren was still going on."
By the time he and his son reached the Arbor View neighborhood, they saw the destruction the storm had unleashed upon trees and homes.
"I got to my house and I noticed the damage,” he said. “I lost everything outside. My structure was still standing—the house was still standing.”
The high winds had torn his fences down and heavily damaged his deck and shed.
To add to all that, he said the power went out in his home for around a week.
More than a year later, the Arbor Day tornado’s wrath is something with which he is still dealing.
"I am spending about $20,000 of my own money to recover from the tornado," he said. "I had to empty my savings account, which was about $5,000.”
It also happened at a time when Max was already dealing with financial hardships: He was going through a divorce, and shortly after the tornado hit his home, he was in a car accident.
"It was one thing after another,” he said. "My income wasn't enough.”
However, The Salvation Army stepped in and helped pay for Max’s mortgage during the early stages of his tornado recovery. He said it also paid for his groceries and helped him get a new car.
All of which made a difference for him.
"The mortgage payment did help because, like I mentioned, it was very critical for me to keep the house. I needed a car to just go to just keep my job."
Max said he is grateful for The Salvation Army’s help getting him through a rough time.
He is also thankful for the donors who made The Salvation Army’s programs possible.
"To those donors, I want to say thank you, and to tell them that every donation that they make helps somebody that is going through a rough time, like me. And it helps make the world a better place.
“I would invite them to keep giving because they help the lives of so many people around the world."