Eight Days of Hope details first day of Texas mission

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Western New Yorkers involved with the nonprofit Eight Days of Hope -- a national organization that helps areas affected by disasters -- have traveled to Texas.

The group traveled to one of the areas that was recently hit hard by flash floods, arriving in Kerrville, Texas on Saturday.

"You see the pictures online and you think you know what you're walking into, but actually seeing the destruction firsthand shakes you to the core," said Jeffery Byrd, the nonprofit's rapid response leader. "It's overwhelming to see. And again, we're only seeing a small part."

No stranger to disasters, this is the ninth large-scale damage event that Eight Days of Hope has helped with this year. Monica Davison has helped with dozens of disasters over the years.

“We're here for a very different purpose than we normally are. What I see with my eyes isn't shocking to me, but it feels very different knowing that there's still so many lives (that) have been lost, and then also knowing that so many are still missing,” said Davison.

Primarily sending their heavy equipment division to Texas this week, the nonprofit has been using excavators to remove tons of debris off people's property -- a process they say is very different this time around due to the sheer number of people still missing.

“You don't know what's in the mix of all those big piles or what's at the bottom. So we're trying to bring in heavy equipment and just very graciously, methodically take those debris piles apart,” said Byrd.

“The operator is moving things very gently. I'm the eyes, I'm watching," Davison said. "And then once we kind of move a bit, he picks it up and gives it to another pile. And as he drops it, I'm watching. And then a guy gets on top with a pick and went through it again."

As of Sunday, the nonprofit had not found any missing individuals.

“Search and rescue people here are saying just look for bubbles in the river. Look for things that just look abnormal ... if you smell something different, anything like that. If you see something, let us know,” said Byrd.

For Byrd, this is the seventh disaster he has helped with this year. Both he and Davison say their help is being needed more than usual. Still, it's the community response that makes it worthwhile.

“You ever walk in a place and feel like you’re welcome right away? (It's) here. These people, they'll be grieving and hurting, and you get to hear their stories,” said Byrd.

This year marks the 20th year of serving communities for Eight Days of Hope. In those two decades, Eight Days of Hope has grown to have more than 60,000 volunteers nationwide and it has assisted in over 100 disasters. The group is planning to remain in Texas until Saturday.