Evyn's Story:

My name is Evyn and I live with my Mimi. In December 2008, I was 17 months old and we lived on Swan Pond Circle. Just a few days before Christmas, a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) coal ash pond in my neighborhood broke open and spilled out lots and lots of ash.

The ash filled the coves and the river had a lot in it too. There was a house that was pushed over by the ash and other houses that got ash inside them.

We lived just down the road but we could see the ash in the river when we looked out toward TVA.

On December 31st, I got sick. I didn’t want to eat, and was coughing a lot. I had to go to the hospital. After the doctor seen me and did tests, he told Mimi that we couldn’t go back home on Swan Pond Circle because of the ash.

We stayed in a hotel. Mimi went back to our house to get some things for us. Everything had to be washed in case there was ash on it. I couldn’t bring some of my toys that I had gotten for Christmas because there could be ash on them too. Mimi could only bring what could be washed and Elmo couldn’t be washed so he didn’t come with us.

We had to move again into transitional housing provided by TVA about 3 weeks later, until TVA could clean up the mess and we could go back home.

We still can’t go home because it is still a mess, and TVA says that we now must move again because they will no longer let us live here.

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Evyn’s story is just one of many that were created by this disaster.

In the early morning hours of December 22, 2008, an outdated, man made, earth dam containing 50 years of stored contaminated coal ash erupted at the Fossil Fuel Plant in Roane County, Tennessee, forcing 1.1 billion gallons of the ash into the river and surrounding community. The force was so violent; it destroyed and damaged homes, and uprooted trees in and around the Swan Pond community. Beautiful coves were filled with dark gray contamination. Where there were once docks and boathouses, there is now tons of contaminated mud and coal ash. It happened so quickly, it pushed coal ash three miles into the Emory River.

Because of the Grace of God, nobody was killed or seriously injured. For days, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) assured residence they were in no danger. They were “keeping the coal ash wet” so it did not get airborne. They told the community there was no danger but “avoid the ash” as a precaution. However, people were already getting sick.

Days of not really knowing the dangers turned into weeks. The coal ash dried and rode on the winds. More people began to show the effects. Healthy children were developing respiratory problems; some with nose bleeds. Adults experienced some of the same effects.

TVA made the decision to buy homes and property in the immediate impacted area. They also relocated some residence that rented their homes. Fortunately, Evyn and his grandmother were one of those families. However, TVA Executives drew an imaginary line that was the basis for the decisions of who would be helped and who would not. If you lived inside the line, you were helped. Families just outside the line were forgotten about.

Now, months later, the relocated families are receiving letters that TVA will no longer help. Their leases will be up, and if furniture was furnished, TVA will have a truck there to pick it up also. In Evyn’s case, his grandmother had to leave everything behind that might have been contaminated with coal ash; even his crib mattress.

The families outside of the imaginary line are still forgotten.

Most people in the Swan Pond area live on modest incomes. They cannot afford to just pack up and relocate. They do need to get out of the area, but deposits, utility transfers, and the general costs of moving is not affordable. Add the rising costs of out-of-pocket medical expenses, and it is impossible.

Our elected officials are unable to influence TVA in any way for the assistance needed. TVA remains unwilling to help.

This disaster relief fund has been created to help those that have been forgotten. Every donation will go directly to victims of this disaster that need help relocating and to pay those rising medical expenses.

We know that many communities around the country have prayed for us during these difficult times. We thank you for those prayers. We hope you will continue to remember us in every prayer.

Now we need your assistance in raising funds to do something that TVA CEO Tom Kilgore promised he would do; “make us happy and whole again”. We can no longer wait on his broken promises.

We ask that you open your hearts and your wallets in our time of need. Any donation would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

And, God bless you.

Please click on the "donations" link at the top of the page.

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