Hurricane Irma has devastated Florida and it’s neighboring states. Between the decimation of property, blocked roads, and power outages, The Sunshine State has never been gloomier. But in the mists or this disaster, we’ve seen a silver lining in the form of people coming together to help however they can. From Disney World guests helping with the park clean-up efforts to Michigan’s darling Kristen Bell holding down the fort with adorable old people, we’ve heard some heartwarming stories, to be sure.
But none of them included a nun with a chainsaw until now!
This was one of the images an off-duty Miami-Dade Police officer posted along with video on Tuesday from in front of a school in Kendell West, FL. The police department wrote on their social media, “Thank you Sister and all of our neighbors that are working together to get through this!” The story quickly gained worldwide attention, making headlines as far away as England!
The nun with a chainsaw habit (ba-dum-tshh) is Sister Margaret Ann, the principal of Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School where the tree fell. She told CNN in an interview that she noticed the tree was blocking the road and one car spun out in the mud and nearly crashed into a nearby wall trying to get around it. That’s when she remembered that chainsaws were sitting in a closet at her school. “They didn’t belong there. They needed to be used,” she said. “There was a need, I had the means — so I wanted to help out.”
The officer who posted the picture and video originally told Sister Margaret Ann that police would eventually clear away the debris, but she believed that it would take them too long. The nun basically told him that since it was dangerous now, she was going to take care of it now. It’s a sentiment that goes hand in hand with what the 30-year educator tries to instill in her students: Do what you can’t to help other people, don’t think of yourself. Talk about God helping those who help themselves!
Sister Margaret Ann is a beacon of hope in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Word of her taking matters into her own hands has spread, and other people of the community have come forward to help with the school’s clean-up efforts. Check out the video below!
🎥 of Sister Margaret Ann in action. Thank you to all of our neighbors that are working together to get through this! We are #MiamiDadeStrong pic.twitter.com/5tG6nzk7Ye
— Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (@MiamiDade_SO) September 12, 2017
If you want to contribute to the Hurricane Irma Relief Effort, you can go donate now at Redcross.org.
