In the middle of the devastation and destruction in East Nashville is six-year-old Hattie Tonkin.
In a photo that’s been showing up on Nashville tv stations, she’s seen pulling a wagon full of supplies with all of her might as she makes her way uphill. It’s a beacon of hope in a time of disaster.
Her dad, Eric Tonkin, said —
“Just kind of started crying a little bit. Nice to see that she was helping the community and also just kind of uplifting for me to kind of realize, you know that there’s a lot of people out doing a lot of good things.”
Tonkin said his wife sent him the powerful photo just three blocks from where they live. The area where it was taken, 19th Street and Holly Street, is now unrecognizable.
Hattie described the area this way — “Trees and damage. Lots of damage.”
Hattie is shy. It’s a lot to take in for a six year old, but she knows helping is making a difference.
She said — “We handed out drinks and snacks and sandwiches.”
That means the world to those who are rebuilding their lives from scratch.
For Hattie’s dad, it’s another example of the East Nashville community being there for each other, no matter how tough it gets. He said — “There’s a lot going on that’s bad, right? I think it’s important for people to just see ways to keep going, you know, keep trying, just keep moving forward.”