Del Rio native returns to deliver hot meals, carry messages after floods

DEL RIO, Tenn. (WATE) — A Cocke County woman helping out people who live in her hometown of Del Rio.

Becky Sexton Ellison was born and raised in Del Rio. She moved to the town over a couple of years ago, but when the storm hit on Friday, she knew she had to help the placed that raised her.

“I was worried about my people and if they were safe,” Sexton-Ellison said. “I had to park and walk across the bridge and cried the whole time and just prayed that everybody was ok.”

Part of Del Rio are cut off with some roads being impassable and no service to communicate. Sexton-Ellison has acted as the messenger.

“I actually have a way of communication, so I’ve been driving up and communicating and then going back and telling these people their folks are ok or we took them a hot meal or whatever the need is that needs to be brought in,” Sexton-Ellison said.

The Del Rio native not only sharing messages for those stuck, but handing out hot meals, sometimes walking door to door because some roads are gone.

“We’ve been taking food in and getting it to those people,” Sexton-Ellison said. “They either literally don’t even have a home or it’s there and has so much water damage or it’s shifted and moved.”

Sexton-Ellison will continue to help the small town in the future.

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