A 27-year-old woman had made a final promise to her father to protect her newborn twins from Hurricane Heleneโs devastation. She sought refuge in her house with her sons, hoping theyโd stay safe, but fate had other plans.
The twins, Khyzier and Khazmir, are the youngest known victims of Hurricane Helene, which had already caused significant devastation across the southeastern United States. Their deaths have become a heartbreaking reminder of the stormโs catastrophic force.
Obie Williams, Kobeโs father, had spoken with his daughter just moments before tragedy struck. As the storm bore down on her home in Thomson, Georgia, Kobe reassured her father that she would follow his advice and take shelter in the bathroom with her infants.
She hoped it would be enough to protect them from the worst of the stormโs wrath. What followed would change the familyโs life forever.
A rise in seawater level, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
Kobe used to call her father daily, but that call was filled with concern on the day of the storm. Obie could hear the winds howling outside his daughterโs trailer and the branches of trees hitting the windows.
The storm had already caused massive destruction, but Kobe promised sheโd follow his advice and stay with her babies in the bathroom.
After the call ended, Obie tried to reach out again a few minutes later, but Kobe didnโt answer. Thatโs when the family realized something was wrong.
Water entering the streets, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
It wasnโt until later that day that one of Kobeโs brothers managed to make his way to her home. He had to deal with fallen trees and downed power lines scattered across the roads.
What he found when he arrived was too devastating to put into words. A large tree had crashed through the roof of Kobeโs trailer, landing directly where she had sought shelter with her sons. The impact had crushed Kobe, who then fell on top of her babies. None of them survived.
Effects of Hurricane Helene, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
In an instant, the storm had torn through the Williams familyโs lives, leaving them devastated by the loss.
โIโd seen pictures when they were born and pictures every day since, but I hadnโt made it out there yet to meet them,โ Obieย spokeย about his grandsons. โNow Iโll never get to meet my grandsons. Itโs devastating.โ
Hurricane Helene had already left a wake of destruction as it tore across Florida and continued into Georgia. By the time it reached Thomson, it had grown into a monstrous storm, with strong winds and torrential rain overwhelming the region.
An SUV floating in the water, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
According to Obie, Kobe had told the family that evacuating with her one-month-old babies wasnโt an option. Instead, she stayed in her trailer, hoping she and her babies would stay safe.
But Helene proved too powerful. The storm claimed more than 200 lives across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas, leaving families devastated and communities torn apart.
Water entering the streets, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
Kobe, described by her father as strong, social, and always with a smile, had been well-loved by those who knew her.
Her dream of becoming a nursing assistant had been put on hold when she gave birth to her twins on August 20, but she was determined to continue her education. Now, those dreams have been cruelly cut short.
Obie and his family lived in Augusta, just 30 miles away from Kobeโs home. They found themselves trapped in the neighborhood for over a day after the storm caused devastation. The power lines were downed, utility poles cracked, and fallen trees and debris blocked roads.
Rescue services evacuating people, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
As the Williams family prepares for the funeral, the weight of the loss is overwhelming. โThat was my baby,โ Obieย saidย while talking about his daughter. โAnd everybody loved her.โ
News of Kobe Williams and her twin sonsโ tragic deaths has spread across social media, reaching countless people who have expressed their heartbreak over the loss.
Many netizens have shared their grief, reflecting on the devastating circumstances and offering prayers and support to the grieving family.
A dumpster floating in the water, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
One commenterย sharedย her raw emotion upon learning of the tragedy,ย โWhen I first heard of the deaths of this mom and her infants I broke down and cried!! We all know she was so very scared and was physically protecting her babies! She and her babies are now in the arms of Jesus! Prayers for all of her family as they deal with this loss!ย ๐โ
Another motherย expressedย her sorrow,ย โThis is heartbreaking. I can only imagine her panic as a mother myself. Being born and raised with our Texas crazy weather, I have always stayed awake during bad storms because I fear tornados and such.โ
Effects of Hurricane Helene, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
A third commenterย echoedย the sadness felt by many, writing, โThat was very hard to readย ๐ญ๐ย That poor family. That mama and her babies. Gosh why good people?!โ
Hurricane Helene now ranks as one of the deadliest storms to strike the U.S. mainland in the last 70 years, becoming the most lethal storm since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
A week earlier, Helene had made landfall near Perry, Florida, as a powerfulย Category 4ย hurricane with sustained winds of around 140 mph. While its winds weakened as it moved inland, the stormโs torrential rainfall overwhelmed much of the Southeast, affecting an area over 500 miles wide.
As officials evaluate the full scale of destruction, emergency responders have been dispatched to aid the most severely affected and isolated regions. Meanwhile, relief funds are being set up to support the victims.
Authorities haveย cautionedย against sending unsolicited donations or attempting to travel to the disaster zones, urging people to contribute through coordinated channels.
Scroll down to read about another woman who lost her life due to Hurricane Helene.
Hurricane Helene Casualty: School Teacher Set to Retire Dies, Chilling Last Moments Revealed
The death of a beloved teacher who lost her life as a result of Hurricane Helene has shaken the public to its core. Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across U.S. states, making relief efforts challenging.
Donna Fagersten was just a few days shy of retiring when the second-grade teacherย lost her lifeย after her hometown of Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, was hit by Hurricane Helene. She was 66 and worked at Ponce De Leon Elementary School in Pinellas County โ the barrier island that, reports say, was one of the areas hit hardest by the storm.
User comment about Donna Fagerstenโs death, posted on September 28, 2024 | Source: Facebook/Molly Bethel
Fagerstenโs close friends, Mike Moran and Heather Anne Boles, who revealed that the deceased educator had taught for 35 years, provided more context regarding how she died.
The late educator, who had a deep love for teaching children, her two sons, and her cat, lived across the street from Bolesโ mom on the water.
Coming up with a safety plan as quickly as they could, Boles, who revealed how her family ended up losing all their possessions due to flooding, and Moran decided to evacuate their home immediately.
โThe water came up so fast. It maybe had 10 minutes, if that,โย she explainedย of how fast floodwaters continued to rise on Thursday evening, September 26.
The devastating impact of Hurricane Helene in Tarpon Springs, Florida on September 27, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Deciding to ride the storm out with Fagersten at Bolesโ motherโs house, Boles, Moran, and their dearly missed friend rushed to their destination, going up to the third floor of the home. However, Fagersten then made a decision that ended up costing her her life.
โ[When] it started to calm down, Donna wanted to go over and check on her cat,โย revealedย Boles. After she left and dangerous levels of storm surge plowed the coastline, a neighbor ran upstairs to alert Boles and Moran that he had seen someone floating in the parking garage. This person was Fagersten.
โ[So] they pulled her up to the stairs, and Heather and Wayne started CPR,โย recountedย Moran of the life-changing moment. The group tried administering CPR for almost an hour before they realized Fagerstenโs life could not be saved. At this point, the floodwaters were so high that fire rescue personnel had to come to them by boat.
Naturally, losing someone as close to them as Fagersten was has been devastating to reconcile. Her death is especially heartbreaking because Boles said Fagersten was such an integral part of their community.
Clickย hereย to read more.