Bremen family thankful for all the help after the tornadoes

BREMEN, Ky. (WFIE) - Marty Gish and his family lost three separate homes to the deadly tornadoes that came through Western Kentucky.

Their homes were reduced to rubble, but Gish’s heart was only partially in Bremen.

The other part was in Louisville, at Norton Children’s Hospital.

“I’ve got a set of twins that were born two months ago, they were born premature by two and half months,” said Gish. “They’re in the NICU at Norton Children’s hospital. We’ve had a brain surgery for my little boy that we went through and a heart surgery for my little girl.”

With half of his family in the hospital — his wife there with the twins around the clock — the other half without homes.

The last two months haven’t been easy for Gish — until he got a visit in his driveway.

“Somebody just drove up and told me they were from the Mennonite Church in Illinois and that they wanted to do everything they could to help us,” said Gish.

Over 30 people from Mt. Vernon, Ill. have been driving over two hours a day to Bremen to help Gish and his family clear their property.

Jason Pollard, of Pollard and Sons Excavation, gave Gish’s family storage space. Volunteers continue to drive by and provide hot meals each day.

Now, Gish just wishes he could come up with the words to say thank you.

“If there were larger words, if there were words I could use that meant more than thank you I would use them,” said Gish. “This is a blessing beyond belief, and with everything going on with my family right now, I can’t thank God enough for this.”

Gish says he has always believed in making his own way. He says he’s humbled himself and realized he does need help right now.

“If I were to try to recreate the job these guys are doing and pay out of pocket for it, it would be $35,000 to $50,000 easily,” said Gish.

Gish says that members of the Mennonite church asked him to identify other properties that need demolition, so they could help them after they finished with his property.

Members of the church say they know others would do the same for them, if their homes were destroyed.

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