Wetumpka: A Story About People

I first heard of the Jan. 19 Wetumpka tornado through social media, as Troy University students from the Wetumpka area posted their thoughts and prayers on Instagram. People at the university were personally involved in the tragedy that was over an hour away. I questioned whether there was something there and if I should develop a story.

It was 12:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. As I was preparing for bed, I had a curious idea. It’s most likely the same feeling journalists get when they hear breaking news. In the event of a tragedy, the journalist is concerned for the parties involved, yet intrigued by what happened. I had this urge to visit Wetumpka, for a community of people were affected not only there but in Troy. I packed up my equipment, texted a fellow student journalist to tag along, set my alarm and went to sleep. 

Wetumpka had trees down, buildings destroyed and the Bibb Graves Bridge which connects the east and west sides of the city closed off. Winds speeds reached 120-130 mph, and the National Weather Service was calling the storm an EF-2 tornado. Those were the facts being reported. While filming some b-roll, we ran into two residents who shared their stories. They opened up to us and told us how they were impacted by the storm. The story quickly became a story about people, rather than just the storm. 

Due to bridge the closure, we were working in a pinch to get footage. As the news package reports, driving through downtown a sign caught my attention. It said “free coffee” with “Wetumpka strong” written at the bottom. I pulled over and met Johnny Oates, owner of the River Perk Coffee Shop. Oates was a resident of Wetumpka for 62 years and a Troy business student. He told us how he was using his business to give back to the city by giving out free coffee and hot chocolate to residents and first responders. 

In the middle of difficult circumstances, people show their true character. That news package ran on the next TrojanVision newscast, and it truly was about people picking up the pieces and moving forward. That day displayed what I was learning in the classroom. Journalism is truly about people and local communities.