Facebook Page Returns Lost Treasures To Tornado Victims

In the aftermath of the tornadoes that ravaged Alabama and other regions of the South, one woman has helped victims piece together the lost fragments of their lives by starting a Facebook page. It’s a virtual lost-and-found where people are connecting over priceless personal items sucked up and spat out by the tornadoes.

Pictures and Documents found after the April 27, 2011 Tornadoes has reunited over 40 tornado-strewn items with their owners, including photos, a high school diploma and an heirloom quilt. The Facebook page is also seeking to return hundreds of lost letters, legal documents, greeting cards, countless more photos and even a fetal ultrasound.

The creator of the Facebook page, Patty Bullion, was spared by the tornado. But as it passed over her house in Lester, AL, the tornado left a trail of someone else’s photographs scattered about her yard. Moved by the faces of these strangers, Bullion posted the pictures to Facebook. Soon, others began uploading images of their own found items, some discovered miles away from the tornado zone.

According to MSNBC, the Facebook page has over 600 items looking for a home, but that number continues to grow as residents sift through the rubble. The rescued scraps are irreplaceable mementos. Even the paper minutia of daily life holds significance when plucked from the wreckage.

Bullion mentions several cancelled checks belonging to a man killed by the tornadoes. “[T]hey (relatives) would like it back,” she told MSNBC. Others have identified their lost loved ones in photographs uploaded to the page.

Surprised yet grateful that the Facebook page has garnered such attention, Bullion plans to keep the page online at least as long as users keep posting.

Photo credit: Patrick Byrne (Creative Commons Share Alike)

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jane r.

2:01PM PDT on Jul 5, 2011

Thank you Facebook

send a green star

caterina c.

2:11PM PDT on May 9, 2011

thanks for the article

Celine V.

1:17PM PDT on May 8, 2011

Nice story!

Brigid C.

12:31PM PDT on May 8, 2011

GOod to hear some positive news concerning Facebook...

Posing A.

6:57AM PDT on May 5, 2011

Nice to see FB being used for something positive.

Priscilla G.

3:22AM PDT on May 5, 2011

What a good idea, I hope more people find their stuff, it must be devastating to loose everything like that.

JosÃ¯Â¿Â½ M.

1:59AM PDT on May 5, 2011

Thanks for the article

Teri H.

4:40PM PDT on May 4, 2011

@ Wanda Canino, like I said in my previous post I live in Madison,Alabama very close to places that were destroyed. There are places all over here collecting things, but if you are out of state call any Red Cross in Alabama and they can tell you were to donate things. Also there have been churches coming in from other states with donated items. Thank you so much for wanting to help. I know that there are many people in my area and beyond that need all the help they can get. When I saw people standing in their destoryed homes picking up what ever they could find of their lives as I drove to a friends house it was heartbreaking. Also too most all of my area was without power for 6 days and some are still without, so many,many people lost all the food they had in their fridges and freezers and don't have the money to replace all of it. So right now Alabama needs all the help anyone would like to give. Thanks!

4:30PM PDT on May 4, 2011

I live in Madison, Alabama. I live 5 to 10 miles from neighborhoods that were completly destroyed. I have seen these homes first hand and it is horrible. Plus, most all of us just got power back yesterday after being without it for 6 days. So this has been a very trying time for my community and state. I think what this woman is doing is awsome, people who lost everything would love to have their memories returned to them. Of course thousands of people in my city and surrounding areas, and through out the whole state are volunteering with any help we can. So we will survive!!

KS G.

5:50AM PDT on May 4, 2011

Thanks for the article.