Armorel students helped a fellow student, Logan Blankenship, and his family recover from last week's storm

Just hours after defeating the Marion Patriots, 7-4, on opening day at Armorel High School, the starting pitcher, senior Logan Blankenship, woke up to a tornado alert like many people in Mississippi County last Wednesday morning. Blankenship, his younger brother, freshman Bryce Nester, and their mother, Shauna Appell, were crowded in their bathtub. Minutes later the owner, Tony Kennedy, was knocking on the door and told them that the house was without a roof.

Within hours after the warnings had cleared off and Armorel was back in school, Blankenship received a text message from his assistant coach, Michael Dobbins, who wrote: "Hey Shauna, I know you have a bunch on your plate this morning and I want you to know that Coach (Charlie) Brown, the boys and myself are willing to help. Anything you need let us know. I'll try to get us over there as soon as possible to move furniture, help with clean up, or anything else you need. Please let us know how we can help. Praying for you guys. Show this to your mom please."

Minutes after the message was received, members of the Tigers baseball and softball teams, as well as members of the community, were at the house helping move things out.

"I am very thankful that Coach Dobbins and Coach Brown reached out to us, because with my already anxiety level that was so high, I was already about to cry because I didn't know what to do, and Tony didn't know what to do. So they came together and brought the baseball team over to help and move us and get everything into storage where none of our stuff would get destroyed, and we could save it," said Appell. "Then, the softball team came and couple of other friends of the community came to help."

However, this isn't the first time that the Tigers have lended a hand to those in need, and they have received many thanks on road trips for showing respect and good humanitarism, to go along with all the success on the field, including back-to-back state titles.

"It's not just about education in the classroom, it is about education out of school and off the field and Coach Dobbs and Coach Brown do an excellent job by teaching the kids to be respectful and how to do random acts of kindness, teach them integrity, how to be a good character and good personality to lend that helping hand when people are in need," said Appell.

When asked what led them to help the family, Dobbins said, "Well, we saw this as an opportunity to serve, and this is our chance to get out in the community and get out there and work and help one of our own and even others we don't know."

Coach Brown and Dobbins are both proud of their faith and strive to be good role models to students.

"They shape these boys into men, Appell said. "They're great role models as coaches, they're a positive influence on our kids and that's what our boys need are positive male role models."

Dobbins also mentioned, " We always try to incorporate Christ in our program as much as possible and that was one of those what would Jesus do moments and that's what we did."

"We wanted to serve and not worry about the thank you or the gratification of what we are getting from them -- just what was right," said Dobbins.

Blankenship is a senior on the team and a four-year starter for Brown's club, while his brother being a freshman on the defending 1A state championship Tigers team.

"Logan is an absolute great kid, hard worker, always does what he is told, he goes above and beyond what we expect out him and same out of his brother. So when something like this comes up with him we don't expect it to number one effect him on the field, we hope the field becomes a distraction from reality," said Dobbins. "We just want this to be a smooth transition for him as much as possible. It's a tough time like it is, he's getting ready to graduate, his brother's a freshmen so he's just trying to get use to being the kids and the older kids around and get acclimated to the new team, so were trying to make this hard life transition as easy as possible."

Coming out to help the family were: Brock Elliot, Tanner and Dakota Davis, Brayden Tillman, Connor and Wesley Walls, Bo Hale, Brett Alan Harris, Dylan Massey, Travis Southern, Monroe Carr, Jaden Henderson, JT Lawrence, Garret Ruddick, Deon Sellers, Andrew Lannon, Cameryn Pry, Olivia Luttrell, Rachel McKuin, Billy Brown, Karen Brown, Robbie Lawrence, Donnie Gray, Tony Kennedy, Larry Finley, Kendra McKuin, Robbie Massy, Deanna Carr, Seth Wyatt, Jared Wyatt, Matt Wyatt, Brett Harris, Madison Larrow, Madison Cipela, Justin McDonald, McKinley Carr, Dani Wyatt, Blyth Booker, Johnathan Willard, Rylee Nelson, Michael Dobbins and Charlie Brown.

"I'm just thankful for them; it means a lot. It shows their true character and lets us know they care," said Blankenship. "It means a lot to me to know they care that much for me and this community."

Appell concluded with "They are my hero's of the storm!!"

jfondren@blythevillecourier.com