SHEPHERD — The devastation is unmistakable, even from a distance. Up close, however, among the water-stained drawings pulled from a broken fridge, toys pierced by fiberglass, and family photos ripped and faded—it becomes painfully clear just how much was lost.
Joseph Dalton's home was torn apart by a powerful windstorm that made its way through Shepherd earlier this week. It was a direct hit that left the Dalton family without shelter, and with only seconds to spare.
“Even after five days of cleaning up, we still are starting to find family photos—of our son and pictures with Santa,” said Dalton.
Watch how a Montana community came together after a storm tore one family’s world apart:
The damage struck a nerve far beyond the Dalton family. Neighbors from across Montana quickly began showing up to help, moved by the family's story.
“I picked up Legos—I picked up a doll and said, ‘Can I save this for her?’ for one of their children,” said Sandra Kelley. “She said ‘no,’—because it’s damaged they can’t play with that again. That could have been one of their special dolls, I don’t know.”
Kelley, the human resources manager at WMK, where Joseph Dalton once worked, helped organize the clean-up effort.
“The clothes broke my heart. All those little kids clothes, food—I know what it costs nowadays … I have brand new furniture, beds, everything—everything in my house I’m giving to them,” said Kelley.
It is not just donated furniture or food being offered. Volunteers are now trying to do more than provide comfort—they are working toward a full rebuild.
“We’re hoping to try to get the community together and businesses around the area to donate materials necessary to rebuild a house for these guys,” said Brian Rider, co-owner of US Roof and Restoration.
Rider understands what the Daltons are going through. A few years ago, he lost his own home to a fire.
“When I (saw) what happened here, I remembered the feeling that I had in my gut, in my spirit, in my mind of how difficult that was to clean up my work by myself,” said Rider.
The path ahead will not be easy, but for Joseph Dalton, what matters most survived.
“My kids, my wife, that’s my whole life right there. That’s my home,” said Dalton.
