Man Paints Venmo Account On His Roof After Tornado Destroys His Home

On April 13, a series of severe storms rolled through South Carolina, spawning numerous tornadoes, which damaged thousands of homes and caused an estimated $250 million in damages. One of those homes belongs to Bill Patterson.

Patterson, along with his wife and autistic son, hid in a closet as a massive tornado, with winds topping 160 MPH, tore apart their house. The roof partially collapsed, and the one-story home was knocked 15 feet off its foundation. Miraculously, the three survived the tornado, but unfortunately, the house Patterson spent most of his life living in will have to be demolished.

To make matters worse, Patterson does not have insurance, so he decided to ask for help. He grabbed some white spray paint and painted his Venmo account, @Bill-Patterson-71, on the roof.

People saw his plea for help and have been sending him money. He did not say how much he has received but is grateful for the kindness of others.

"Maybe this will draw some attention to what we're trying to do," Patterson told WYFF. "I thought it was interesting and so I got up on the roof and wrote my Venmo up there, and we've had a number of people contributing, and certainly, we appreciate it. I can't express how grateful we are."

The family is staying with a family friend while they try to rebuild their home. That could take over a year, as Patterson waits for FEMA to inspect the house to determine if he qualifies for disaster aid.

Photo: WFLA-TV


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