Bamberg neighbors say they will come back ‘stronger, better’

BAMBERG, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - There are three words the city of Bamberg is using to describe the aftermath of Tuesday’s tornado — damage, miracle and grace.

“The grace of God is what we’re looking at today,” said Craig Walker.

Broken glass, pink sheetrock, and an Uno card are all that’s left of what would have soon been Walker’s remodeled Air BNB.

“When I came over to see the structure, its present state brought a tear to my eye, because we had been working on this place,” he said.

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For the man who was inside the Air BNB, Walker says “wild” is an understatement for what he experienced.

“The volatility of the rains came through along with the winds. And he had to make some rash decisions. He felt the roof coming down, the bottom started to drop as well, and he laid down flat. This young man is extremely lucky. And God was certainly on his side,” said Walker.

Neighbor Robert Crosby says God was also on his family’s side as trees took over his cars and home.

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“My family is safe, mom, dad. We all are still living so, you know, we’re alive. Everything else can be replaced. So, we’re not worrying about the material stuff,” said Crosby.

As Walker and Crosby look around at the city-wide damage, they are reminded how lucky they are to live in a small town.

“The people that are stopping and saying, ‘Hey, are you okay? Can offer a helping hand?’ I’m not surprised. That’s one of the reasons that I came back to Bamberg,” said Walker.

And soon they will build back a better Bamberg.

“I’m sure we’ll come back stronger, bigger and better,” said Walker.