Neighbors out of town for Christmas Day bombing see damage
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NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) — Lauren Whatley and her roommate, Dallas Seymour, were out of town visiting family when the Christmas Day bombing happened.
“Honestly, it still feels very surreal,” Lauren Whatley told News4.
More than a week later, they got to see what’s left of their apartment at the Lofts at 160. Their unit overlooks 2nd Avenue, which is the same street where the RV exploded.
“Glass everywhere. I couldn’t even imagine being in the apartment and I’m so thankful that we weren’t,” Whatley said.
With help from police, Whatley picked up small valuable items like a checkbook and tax documents. Everything else has water damage from the fire sprinklers going off.
“It’s heartbreaking to see it. So, I truly hope that we can rebuild downtown,” Whatley said.
Whatley sent News4 pictures of before and after the blast.
“It’s just important to see how beautiful it was before and how special it was and how quickly that was taken away,” Whatley said.
She called the loft home for three years. For now, she’s staying at an Airbnb until she finds her new home.
What’s been helping her get through each day is making sure her neighbors have what they need.
“It was easier for me to cope with this and process with this just by helping others and make sure that we all were getting back on our feet rather than just myself,” Whatley said.
She started gathering GoFundMe pages and Venmo accounts to get them direct help.
What happened on Christmas Day has bonded them forever as they work to rebuild together. For Whatley, she’s figuring out one piece at a time.
“Just day by day. That’s my goal right now,” Whatley said.
Many, if not all, of the people living in the lofts are starting from scratch. You can help by donating to the group GoFundMe or individual GoFundMe pages.
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