The Georgia household sought refuge along with their pet in a bathtub, as storm Helene brought down trees relentlessly, causing damage to their residence.
"I was scared," Mom admitted.
Little Sienna, only 9, shared that she sought solace by praying in her bathtub.
"We all listened when I told them to, I lay on top of them and covered us with that mattress," Kristin Jones explained from her damaged home in the Martinez suburb of Augusta a few days later. "Yes, it was a bit cramped in the bathtub with all four of us."
Helene touched down as a Category 2 hurricane in southwestGeorgia early Friday morning, following two days of intense rain that soaked large parts of the state, making the ground excessively wet and the trees more susceptible to falling down.
Augusta experienced the brunt of the storm. Uprooted trees can still be seen scattered across neighborhoods and blocking houses. Electricity poles crisscrossed the roads, and the scent of freshly cut wood filled the air as crews worked to clean up the debris.
Initially, the children slept in the living room while their mom kept a close eye on the weather reports on TV.
The very first four trees toppled over onto the Jones' house, crashing straight into the spot where the boys were lounging in the living room. The trees broke through the attic, pulling out the chimney, and as rainwater started to pour in from the fireplace, the family sought refuge in the relative safety of the bathroom.
The kids recalled the fearsome sounds that they heard as they huddled in the bathtub with their dog, the wind howling and the water rushing from the broken pipes, as being deafeningly loud.
Galen Jones, the husband, estimated that six trees in total hit their house. At the time, Galen was away on a golf trip and struggled to make his way back due to poor cell phone service.
"What could we even do from so far? Surely, we were just worried about how we would even get back. Would they be okay?" he recalled.
Augusta endured some of the toughest weather in the state, with rainfall reaching as high as 12 to 15 inches and extremely powerful winds.
When her husband was unable to return, Kristin Jones reached out to her next-door neighbors for aid, knowing it was no longer safe to remain in their home.
"I sent a text, 'A tree fell on our house. Can you please help us?'" Kristin explained. Less than 10 minutes passed before she received a message back saying, "We're at your front door."
The neighborhood came to their rescue, accompanying them through the storm with their flashlights in tow, and providing them with temporary shelter until the storm passed.
Bright skies after the storm
Weeks following Helene's chaos, which left at least 200 dead across six states, including nearly 30 in Georgia, the air resonated with the sound of construction machinery in Augusta.
Power was still out for nearly half of Augusta's residents, while roads were blocked, gas was in demand, communication was inconsistent, and many residents worked to resume their lives. Yet, there was a faint sense of progress.
"Little by little, things are getting cleared up," Galen Jones expressed. "This place gets power, then this one, and gradually power is returning."
On a national scale, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both visited the state to assess the damages and meet with emergency officials. In response, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced that the state's gas tax would be suspended until the state of emergency ends on October 9. Additionally, the Augusta National Golf Club pledged $5 million to the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund.
Approximately half of the county remains without power
Evan Grantski from his neighborhood in Augusta shared that a tree came crashing down on his car, a neighbor's house was destroyed, and nobody had power. However, his music shop in the city center managed to regain power and internet access.
Meanwhile, Obed Castillo from El Paso Tacos & Tequila said that his restaurant was bustling as hungry customers sought food and chargers for their phones.
According to Monica Foster, electricity at her home has been restored, but her neighbors continue to be without power, which poses a significant risk to the elderly people in the neighborhood who rely on oxygen machines and refrigerated medications.
Approximately 47% of the county is still without power, with the restoration of electricity not expected until this weekend, as reported by Georgia Power.
"They need to restore power in this area as soon as possible, as many elderly people need to charge their oxygen machines and refrigerate their medication," Foster said.
Foster explained that her family has been extending an electrical cord from their home to their neighbors' to provide them with power during the night.
"We'll do as much as we can," Foster said.
The Jones family now ponders their future plans for rebuilding their home and their lives.
"We'd prefer to stay put. We'd enjoy reconstructing this place. We're fond of this neighborhood," Galen Jones expressed. "Our neighbors are fantastic, but if the financial aspect doesn't work out, we might need to relocate somewhere else."
The Jones family is appreciative that everyone in their circle is safe, and they're eager to proceed, but despite the boys' claim of not being scared, there are indications that the ordeal will linger in their minds even after the property gets restored.
"The rain poured down the following night, and they were petrified," Kristin Jones shared. "The rain and the fear of strong winds blowing. That was quite intimidating, folks."
"After we sought refuge in the bathtub, we all held each other tight and reassured each other that we're in this together as a family," Kristin Jones mentioned.
"Despite the damage, the community rallied around us and offered their help, making us feel grateful and supported during such a challenging time," Galen Jones added, referring to their neighbors' assistance.
