From NFL.com
PARKERSBURG, Iowa -- Aaron Kampman came running when he heard that a tornado had destroyed his old high school.
Kevin Sanders / Associated Press
Aaron Kampman's alma mater, Aplington-Parkersburg High School, was destroyed in recent Iowa tornados. Kampman and the Packers are organizing disaster relief for the town.
Kampman, a defensive end with the Green Bay Packers, drove Monday morning with his wife Linde to Parkersburg. That was a day after a tornado packing winds of more than 200 mph ripped through the town of about 1,800, leveling hundreds of homes before moving east, where it hit New Hartford and Dunkerton.
Seven people were killed and about 50 others were injured, including Kampman's grandfather Claas, 71. He was recovering in a Waterloo hospital.
Kampman, a native of nearby Kelsey, said he couldn't have imagined the destruction he saw when he arrived. But after manning a chainsaw and helping to remove trees and debris, Kampman said residents have to be optimistic.
"There's so much devastation, you can't look at the big picture," Kampman said. "You've got to look at the small victories. That's been (the residents') rallying cry."
He was happy that his grandfather and in-laws didn't suffer more damage, or worse, in the storm, but he said he feels compelled to help others who were less fortunate.
"The Packers are going to do something (to raise funds)," said Kampman, a 1998 Aplington-Parkersburg High School graduate. "This is an opportunity to get as much help (from) all the different circles of influence that people like myself have found themselves in."
The proud football tradition in Parkersburg, which has produced four NFL players in the past 15 years, and the lessons learned on the field will serve the community well in the weeks ahead, Kampman said.
"As a community, this is a tremendous opportunity to draw close," said Kampman, a two-time NFL Pro Bowler. "It's easier to fight back-to-back than on your own.
"The neat thing is, I was driving through town ... and I saw some American flags raised in the rubble. And I saw hope. You saw people hugging in the streets and pulling together. That's what I'm talking about: Small victories."
Good to see kampman pulling his weight and the packers Helping out