Mark Pope leads the cleanup response after a destructive tornado swept through Southern Kentucky.
Mark Pope truly represents what it means to be a Kentuckian—not just through his role in basketball, but also in how he serves the community.
After a powerful tornado tore through southern Kentucky last Friday, causing severe damage, Pope didn’t waste any time stepping in to help. Though he had been away recruiting, a message from his former Kentucky teammate and roommate Jeff Sheppard quickly set his next steps in motion.
“I got back late that night,” Pope said in a KSR interview. “Jeff texted me saying, ‘I’m going to help out one family tomorrow. Just one house.’ Then he gave me an address.”
Pope brought along two of his daughters, but they never reached the exact location Sheppard sent—there was just too much devastation. They ended up stopping a few houses away to assist an elderly couple whose home had been hit hard: a tree had fallen on the roof, and a trailer had flipped against the side of the house.
Over the next six hours, more and more people arrived to help. Pope, his daughters, and other volunteers worked together to clear debris.
“It was really something,” Pope said. “Every 30 minutes or so, more folks would show up. By the end, we had cleared the trees off the house with help from four chainsaws and even a forklift. When we drove away, there was a mile-long line of cars trying to get into town to help. We passed a gas station where two people stood outside holding hand-made signs that said, ‘Free food.’ They were inviting anyone who needed it to stop by.”
Pope understands the heart of Kentucky—how neighbors come together in times of crisis.
“This is Kentucky,” he said. “It’s the same feeling we have in BBN—this deep sense of connection. People here take care of each other. To me, that’s a gospel principle. And even though Kentucky’s been hit with more than its share of natural disasters lately, it’s still incredible to witness the compassion and strength of this community.”
While Pope emphasized that rebuilding will take years, there are ways to support relief efforts right now. UK is accepting donations at the Blue Lot near Kroger Field today from 4–8 PM ET, and again on Friday from 11 AM–1 PM.
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