Welcome to
Young's Photo Gallery
James W. Young, Professional Photographer
Image of the Week Archives
May 1, 2011
The home of Chris Landers was completely leveled by a tornado on the evening of April 27, 2011, seen
here in an image by the author on the morning of April 30. Chris, his fiancee Chrsti Mercer, and their
daughter Logan were in the house when it stuck, but in different parts of the house. All three sustained
injuries as they were thrown from the house, the most serious was to Logan, as she has lost the sight of
her right eye. Doctors were trying to save her eyesight, as neighbors and friends began the cleanup task
when I arrived at 9 AM. Mr. Lander's home is 12 miles north of Forsyth, Georgia, and 2 miles east of
Intersate 75. The only wall left standing (to the right) is a corner of the garage. Their refrigerator was
found in the forest area 200 feet to the left of this picture.
As a photographer, and currently on a photographic tour around the country, I first spotted the signs of
this tornado on the I-75 freeway as I traveled south from Atlanta to Titusville, Florida on th 28th to view
the shuttle launch the following day (everyone knows that the launch was scrubbed on the afternoon of the
29th). I vowed to stop on my return (April 30) to take a closer look. I first was to the west of I-75, on
Smith Road, when a couple stopped and told me about the Lander's family and house. I immediately drove
to their home on the east side of I-75, got permission to take images, along with his story to put on my
web site. I have never seen, up close and personal, such devestation with my own eyes. It wasn't easy
as he took me on a tour of the entire house, now just a concrete slab, and where each of them where!!
My emergency 'funds' always kept in the car are now, hopefully providing some added relief. Chris then
called me an 'angel', but I corrected him. The couple who told me of the Lander's situation were the
angles...I only delivered what the spirit told me. Please pray for Logan!
Gallery of Images Specialties
e-mail astroyoung@verizon.net
Return to Home Page