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Dozens of people lost their lives after tornadoes swept through Kentucky and Missouri over the weekend as the communities impacted were forced to grapple with the destruction left in their wake. Plenty of people rallied to come to their aid, including Wildcats basketball coach Mark Pope.
Kentucky is situated firmly to the east of the stretch of land in the middle of America known as “Tornado Alley,” but the state (especially the western region) is still susceptible to the destructive wind funnels that touch down within its borders an average of 21 times each year.
On Friday, a severe storm system that moved across the state spawned multiple tornadoes that swept across Russell, Pulaski, and Laurel counties while destroying homes and businesses and claiming the lives of at least 19 people in the state (officials says the tragedy that also impacted Missouri led to the death of at least 28 people).
The cities of London and Somerset were hit particularly hard, and the residents who endured the storm spent the weekend attempting to assess the extent of the widespread damage as volunteers flocked to the area to provide them with assistance and contribute to the cleanup efforts that have gotten underway.
That included Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope, as a local resident shared a picture of the Wildcats skipper clearing debris off the roof of a home in London after making the approximately 80-mile trek from Lexington to contribute to the cause.
Mark Pope is in London, KY today to help with recovery efforts following the devastating tornadoes that hit the southern part of the state earlier this week.
📸: Shane Bundy | Facebook pic.twitter.com/HX0v1nIE1J
— KSR (@KSRonX) May 18, 2025
It was an incredibly selfless move from a man who would have otherwise been attending a Nike Elite Youth Basketball League showcase in Memphis, as KSR’s Jack Pilgrim noted associate coach Mark Fox went in his place so Pope could take care of a matter that was much more important in the grand scheme of things.