Coronavirus: Tornado destroys home of doctor quarantined from family
Arkansas twister injures 22 people and causes massive damage to houses and buildings
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Your support makes all the difference.A tornado has reportedly destroyed the home of an Arkansas doctor who went viral after a photo of him greeting his two-year-old son through a glass door as he observes social distancing from his family.
Physician Dr Jared Burks is self-isolating from his family while he continues to work at a hospital amid the coronavirus pandemic to prevent him from spreading the virus to his family.
An emotional photo of the doctor greeting his son through the glass door of his home, the two unable to share physical contact, went viral after his wife shared the touching moment on Facebook.
“As soon as he saw his dad he just raced to the door,” Alyssa Burks told local broadcaster KATV.
“He got up on the glass because I think he wanted him to hold him, so it was sad, it was cute, but it was really heartbreaking because it’s hard.”
However, the young family is now facing even more heartache after a tornado reportedly hit and destroyed the Burks’ family home, while Dr Burks was still inside the house.
The tornado, which ripped through Jonesboro, Arkansas, injured 22 people and caused massive damage to houses and buildings, according to CNN.
Ms Burks told ABC News that her husband was home taking his first day off in two weeks from his rotation when the tornado hit.
Ms Burks, who was residing at her parents’ with her son to keep a safe distance from her husband, immediately called to warn him of the tornado when she saw reports on the news.
“I called him and said there’s a really really big tornado,” she told the outlet.
The pair agreed it would be best for him to take shelter in the house but before long she became aware the house had been hit.
Dr Burks survived the ordeal unharmed, managing to take shelter in a bathroom closet.
However, Ms Burks said that the family’s home was destroyed during the natural disaster.
Evan Clower, a friend of Ms Burks has started a GoFundMe page for the family to help them rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the disaster.
“They are going to need help picking up the pieces so that they can find another place to live, collect their items, rebuild, all while Jared is working and fighting for those who health may be compromised,” Ms Clower wrote on the GoFundMe page.
As of Monday over $70,000 had been raised for the family by the fundraiser.
Those who have donated to the family thanked Dr Burk for his medical service labelling him a “hero” for his continued service amidst the pandemic.
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