First Lady Visits Van, Receives Briefing On Tornado Damage And Recovery
First Lady Cecilia Abbott today visited Van, the East Texas town that suffered extensive damage as a result of a May 10, 2015 tornado. The First Lady visited Van Middle School, where she met with school officials, teachers and students affected by the tornado before touring Van Intermediate School, which sustained heavy damage as a result of the tornado and is closed for the remainder of the school year.
Following the school visits, the First Lady received a briefing from local and state officials regarding ongoing recovery efforts. Various Van Zandt county and local officials participated in the briefing, among them Van Mayor Dean Stone, County Sheriff Lindsey Ray, County Judge Don Kirkpatrick, County Emergency Management Coordinator Chuck Allen, and county commissioners and officials from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
“Even among this tremendous devastation, I remain amazed and inspired by the resilience and strength of the Van community. Many in Van lost everything, but I have no doubt they will reemerge even stronger than before,” said the First Lady. “I am heartened to see so many Texans from across the state respond to this tragedy with their help and support. The State of Texas will continue to provide assistance and relief for Van and all those across the state affected by the recent severe weather, and Governor Abbott and I continue to pray for a quick recovery.”
On May 11, Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for several Texas counties affected by severe weather, including Van Zandt County, where the town of Van is located. The Governor’s Office continues to monitor the situation in Van and other Texas communities affected by severe weather.