Collin County Veteran Supported by Community After Storm Damage

In Collin County’s Blue Ridge, quite a few people were spared. But for those in the direct path of this severe storm, there was significant damage.

Veteran Audie Casey is processing the damage. Before today, he had three mobile homes. Now, just one is barely standing. The cleanup is his priority, and he’s trying to think logically about his next steps.

“I need dumpsters, a whole lot of dumpsters to haul this stuff off because it’s all got to be hauled off,” said Casey.

Initially, though, the damage took an emotional toll.

“I’ve cried too many tears already,” he said.

Casey was volunteering at a shelter in McKinney when the storm blew through his neighborhood along Highway 78. He got a call from a neighbor saying he needed to get home.

Just behind Casey’s property, there was damage at Blue Ridge High School. No injuries were reported there. Directly across the street, headstones were toppled at a cemetery.

To make it through the night, a friend brought a tent and blankets.

“I brought some food. I got water. I got a plug-in where we can charge our phones. I’m totally equipped,” said Casey’s friend, Rick.

Other friends and family will arrive by morning to help, but the journey to recovery won’t be easy.

“It’s really devastating to me to see my friend have to go through this because he’s worked so hard trying to get everything together,” Rick said.

Casey said he’ll take it one day at a time putting his life back together.

“I got to look for something positive about it,” he said. “I’m still trying to find something positive about it.”

As for Blue Ridge schools, buildings sustained damage. Classes are canceled for Wednesday, but officials plan to assess damage for the rest of the week.

Severe storms left one woman injured in the Collin County community of Blue Ridge Tuesday morning. NBC 5’s Maria Guerrero reports.