For a few minutes, the weather showed just how powerful a force it is.

The upside is much of Cairo and Grady County did not fall in the path Sunday night’s tornado, which ripped through a section of Cairo just south of the railroad tracks in downtown. That no lives were lost in the handful of minutes the twister was on the ground is nothing short of remarkable, given the devastation it brought. Giant trees ripped down, power lines and buildings mangled and through it all, no major injuries.

The damage done needs repair, and the call was answered from far and wide and from nearby as well. The Bainbridge Police and state Department of Natural Resources officers helped steer traffic from those areas with power lines and trees brought crashing to the ground. 

From across the state, the Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief team converged on Cairo. Crews from Thomasville and Moultrie came over to help put together the ravaged power system. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army are on hand, helping the victims and local churches are setting up donation boxes.

Even across the state line, folks and businesses from Tallahassee are looking for ways to help. 

And among the streets and neighborhoods of Cairo itself, the residents of the Syrup City checked on one another. They visited homes and businesses to make sure everyone was all right. They began the long, laborious process of cleaning up.

We saw neighbors and families helping each other. We saw people with chainsaws walking the street, with mercy and not malice in their hearts. We saw service vehicles stop at houses to see what help was needed.

Cairo and Grady County were hit hard by Hurricane Michael and the efforts to repair the damage from the storm have been ongoing. Now, a tornado — it touched down three minutes after the first National Weather Service warning was issued — has piled on.

But from what we’ve seen, in the Syrup City, the people stick together. And they are helping each other as much as they can. You can use the hashtag #GradyUnbroken on social media to see more how Cairo and the community are responding.