Georgia has been wracked with a series of tornadoes this month. There were 10 that touched down on Thursday alone. The devastation from the storms has been so grave, President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for the seven counties that have been impacted by the severe weather, including Butts, Henry, Jasper, Meriwether, Newton, Spalding, and Troup.
The series of storms has cut off power for many homes and resulted in the death of at least nine people, including a 5-year-old boy. Among the tragic losses was Jesse Maxwell, a 32-year-old husband and father of four. Jesse, a lineman for the state, was working to clear debris from the storms and attempting to restore power when he lost his life.
Hope, Jesse's wife, shared a screenshot from his last FaceTime call.
Jasper County officials said Jesse was working when a tree branch hit him in the back of the head, The US Sun reported. In what will now be known as a bittersweet recollection, Jesse FaceTimed his daughter and wife, Hope Maxwell, to say goodnight just moments before the accident.
Hope shared a screenshot from the conversation on Facebook. “River isn’t used to not having her daddy home for bed time,” Hope wrote at the time. “Of course she has to sleep in one of his shirts for bed tonight so they can match.”
The community says Jesse died a hero.
The couple shared four children Lucas, 11, and daughters Lorynn, 7, Maddie, 6, and River, 4. Caring for a Cause, a nonprofit organization servicing families wrote that Jesse died a hero.
“There is no [hyperbole] here,” the organization wrote on Facebook. “Working amidst an assault against the senses. Dark, cold and dangerous, his job that night was working to clear debris so as to restore power. We tend to think of power as a creature comfort; phone charging and Netflix. Tell that to the people on breathing machines and people who need the heat so as not to freeze to death. He died saving lives.”
Hope's family has launched a fundraiser on her behalf.
Hope’s uncle has launched a GoFundMe account to accept donations for his niece and her children. “This family is heartbroken and needs all the prayers and support we can give them,” the GoFundMe description reads.
The fundraiser, which had a goal of $50,000, has already raised over $44,000. Caring for a Cause has vowed to assist the family as well.
Before his passing, Hope thanked Jesse for his selflessness.
Jesse and Hope married in 2019. In the post she shared about Jesse FaceTiming their daughter, she thanked her husband for his service to their community. “Thank you for working so hard babe and for being so selfless. We love you! Also a huge thank you and continued prayers for all of the other first responders that are out there working all day and night,” she wrote.
'I don't know how to navigate this,' Hope wrote about her husband's untimely passing.
Since his passing, Hope has been sharing both her grief and gratitude on social media. “I do not know how to navigate this,” Hope confessed on Facebook. “You have always told me I am strong, but I don’t know what I will do without you. The kids are going to miss you so much but they are so lucky to have gotten to experience the love you had for them.”
In another post, she wrote, “Baby, you are so so loved and I need you more than you will ever know. But I know you are joking with Jesus. You will forever be my hero and I will love you until my last breath.”
