High School Football Team Shows Up At Paralyzed Man's House To Clean Up Yard Damaged By Derecho

Sep 04, 2020 by apost team

A group of high school athletes helped Ray Drake in Des Moines, Iowa to clean up after the paralyzed mans backyard was wrecked by a derecho.

Natural disasters can have devastating impacts on large towns and cities. It is often advised that those in the direct path of any storm should relocate to a safer region until the storm has passed. One community in Iowa did not have the fortune of doing so.

On August 10, a massive derecho swept through one city in Iowa, leaving the region in utter chaos and destruction. Buildings were completely destroyed, powerlines were down, and there was a mass shortage of food and gas.

A resident of Des Moines, Ray Drake had unfortunately witnessed four trees crash down onto his property. Part of the fencing around his home was also destroyed, but as other homeowners began to remove any debris off their property in the following days, he was unable to. According to KCCI, Drake has been paralyzed since 1989, leaving him in the care of his sisters.

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When one of his sisters, Janice saw the damage done to Drake's home, she decided to call for some help. She was going to call a company until she realized that most companies were probably busy with other clean-up efforts across Iowa.

She eventually contacted Doug Applegate, one of Drake's friends from high school. Once Doug saw all the damage that had been done, he immediately offered his help.

"I saw some of the pictures and thought, 'You need more than just once chainsaw,'" he told KCCI-TV.

He then asked the Roosevelt High School football team if they were willing to lend a hand. Thankfully, the young men were more than happy to assist and showed up to Drake's home, chainsaws in hand.

The group began cutting away at the fallen trees and removing the debris from Drake's property so efficiently that it took less time than was expected. Had Drake's sister hired an actual company, this job would have cost her hundreds of dollars, if not thousands.

The group finished in two hours and successfully left Drake's home debris-free. They all met with Drake before leaving and he expressed his sincere gratitude for all the tough work these boys had done. Drake said that he felt blessed and that these boys were angels for helping him.

"That's just really what people in Iowa do, is we're all friendly and help each other out," one of the high school boys, Jack Neary claimed.

This story has inspired countless readers and encouraged them to perform kind acts for those in need. One reader has commented on how kindness is a trait that we sometimes struggle with. We can all use an example to look up to or even a guiding hand to push us in the right direction. This story was the perfect example.

Another reader stated that it was nice to see high school students pitch in snd help in the recovery efforts across Iowa. Although activities like this may not have been what sports teams would think of as 'conditioning,' they do make the world a better place.

What did you think about this story? Do you know of any stories like this from your hometown? We would love to hear them! Be sure to ask your friends and tell us your stories!