Hope in the rubble: AdventHealth Manchester’s tornado relief efforts in Laurel County

On Friday, May 16, 2025, a devastating tornado swept through Laurel County, Kentucky, leaving behind a trail of destruction and heartbreak. In the face of this tragedy, the team at AdventHealth Manchester rose with compassion, grit, and a shared mission to Extend the Healing Ministry of Christ.

By Sunday afternoon, AdventHealth team members were already on the ground, partnering with Light in the Storm Disaster Relief Ministries to support affected families. Their work was deeply personal sifting through the remnants of homes to recover cherished items like a wedding band set, a child’s bed, a homeowner’s cell phone, a purse, family dishes, cash hidden in a baby shoe, and towels. These small but significant recoveries brought moments of comfort to those who had lost so much.

In total, the team provided relief and cleanup services for 43 homes. But their impact went far beyond numbers. One nurse captured the spirit of the effort in a moving reflection:

Normally, our badges say: RN Medsurg, RN ICU, RN PCU, RN ED, RN OB, PCT, Management, Administration, Environmental Services, Marketing, Business, and many other things. All this week—we didn’t wear badges. Instead, we wore work gloves. We moved piles of what was left of people's lives to the road to be hauled away. It didn’t matter the position. It didn’t matter the degree. It didn’t matter the department. What did matter was the fact that there was a need, and AdventHealth Manchester saw something they could do. They put boots on the ground to help however they could after the tornado ripped through the community of London. Propelled by purpose. Medicine on a mission. Extending the healing ministry of Christ.

This spirit of unity and service was echoed by Nick Bejarano, President and CEO of AdventHealth Manchester, who wrote to team members: “This is an opportunity for us to come together and be the hands and feet of Jesus and live out our mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. Your support and willingness to help our neighbors in need are greatly appreciated. This is truly a humbling experience.”

The relief efforts didn’t stop with the cleanup. Recognizing the need for medical support AdventHealth Manchester mobilized a medical support team to provide tetanus shots due to the large amount of rusty nails, and care for cuts, bumps, and scrapes.

In addition, AdventHealth launched a payroll deduction campaign to support the recovery, providing essentials like food, gasoline, and clothing, as well as long-term assistance for those without shelter or transportation. The Team Member Care Fund was also activated, offering financial support to employees impacted by the storm.

As of May 28, 176 volunteers had contributed 1,261 hours of service, valued at over $66,704 in community benefit. Appliance donations and household essentials continue to be distributed to families in need as they put the pieces of their lives back together.

AdventHealth Manchester’s team members have demonstrated that healing comes not only through medicine, but through humanity, humility, and heart.