After Beryl

Hurricane Beryl made landfall in July as one of the most powerful storms to hit Houston in recent years. With high winds and rain causing extensive flooding, Beryl left a trail of destruction. Fences toppled down, fallen trees tangled up in power lines, and nearly three million Houstonians were left without electricity, many without power for days on end.

However, amidst the chaos, stories of community and helpful neighbors emerged. As the late Fred Rogers famously said, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” 

One of those helpers was 17-year-old Tyler Spann. After Beryl, without any hesitation, Tyler quickly mobilized to support those in need in his community.

Tyler, a senior at Stratford High School, organized a group of friends to help neighbors together. His mom, Janet Spann, said he is “always trying to think of ways to help.”

And that he did. 

Tyler started by going door to door in his neighborhood, knocking on doors looking to help people. He was met with grateful faces, but many responded that they planned to hire someone to clear their yards. “So, we created a Facebook group which attracted elderly people in need,” said Tyler. Out-of-town adult children of elderly residents even saw the post and connected Tyler with their parents. Through the group, he was able to find the people who needed immediate assistance in clearing out storm debris. 

Tyler worked through the heat, even without power at his own home. "I saw the amount of damage that had been done around the neighborhood, and the first thing that came to my mind was that there were going to be people around my community who do not have the ability to clean their yards due to the amount of work it would take,” said Tyler. “That is when I had the idea to spend the next week or two cleaning the yards of senior citizens in my area.”

Tyler continued to take to social media to offer his help. "I made a post to the Facebook group, and almost immediately, I received messages from multiple elderly couples asking for help clearing their yards,” said Tyler. He and his friend Andrew Hopkins spent hours clearing six yards in the summer heat in the weeks following Beryl. It was an act of kindness from the heart. 

In addition to yard work, Tyler and his friends from school helped feed those in need. He gathered monetary donations to help support Kids’ Meals, an organization that helps fight child malnutrition in Houston. “They were low on lunches since many volunteers were unable to come in due to Beryl,” said Tyler. 

Tyler and his friends, Cooper Sugg, Noah Fadhli, and Reid Otermat made a plan of action. “We began raising money through Facebook and Instagram, logging our progress on Instagram,” said Tyler. (Follow their account at @kidsmealsstudentorg). They were able to raise enough money to make almost 1,000 meals, which were distributed the same week.

Tyler’s parents, Janet and Jason, are extremely proud of his efforts. “He has developed a real desire to help others and become a servant leader,” said Janet. She credits his past four summers attending Second Baptist Church’s High School Beach Retreat to a desire to want to serve others. 

“Knowing I helped make a difference in the lives of hundreds of families and those elderly couples made me feel fulfilled. I will continue to support Kids’ Meals and will always be ready to help anyone in need during a disaster like Beryl," said Tyler. 

Residents experienced relief from their help clearing out debris. “Tyler came out and cut and organized our yard debris,” said one neighbor. “He is such a nice young man. We are so grateful.” 

The Thomas family waited for more than a week for their power to be restored after Hurricane Beryl. After nine long days, a truck pulled up on their street. Out stepped two linemen – named Wesley and Walker – the same names as the Thomas brothers. They posed for a photo in front of the boys’ baseball signs.

The Thomas family, like many others, waited for their power to be restored for over a week. It was hot and difficult for many families – each day brought new challenges.

On their ninth day without power, mom Julie Thomas saw a power truck arrive at their home, much to her family’s relief. Turns out the gentlemen who came to restore their power were named Walker and Wesley – the same names as her two sons.

“God works in very mysterious ways,” Julie said. “I was thankful for those hardworking and kind humans who also have the best names in the world. There are no coincidences.”

As a thank you, Julie and the boys picked up lunch for them. They posed in front of the boys’ baseball yard signs – Walker in front of Walker’s sign and Wesley in front of Wesley’s sign. 

After Beryl, 17-year-old Tyler Spann spent hours clearing out the yards of senior citizens in his neighborhood, even though he had no power at his own home.

In the aftermath of Beryl, local businesses also played a crucial role. Many restaurants and grocery stores, despite suffering damage themselves, offered free meals and supplies to residents. So many people stepped up to help, despite struggling through the impacts of the storm. 

As Houston continues to recover, the acts of kindness and shared connections remain as positive memories amongst devastation and loss. The need for community is stronger than ever.