Video: Louisville Road Carries On American Flag Display

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LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- “There is continuance in bad times, and it gives everybody hope.”

Turn on McCullouch Road in Louisville and you’ll see what’s left of April 28th’s devastation. But also down this road are signs of patriotism.

” Mr. John down the road, his house got destroyed and he has done it every year. So we didn’t want to break his tradition. He’d put so much time and effort into it that we decided to keep it going,” said Resident Jeff Smith.

Smith, along with other neighbors spent 2 days putting up 31 flags.

” It shows a whole community that you have to keep fighting and come back from bad times,” said Smith.

Diane Wallace-Hodges and her husband took shelter in their hallway when the EF-4 Tornado ripped through their community.

“That’s home, I grew up here. Right on that same spot. We were inside the house when it happened and we weren’t really afraid as much as we were waiting for it to be over with,” said Wallace-Hodges.

As a Louisville native and a woman who served in the Navy, seeing the stars and stripes holds a special meaning this year.

“That the people still care. That they are still proud enough to fly the flag and even in devastation you still have to remember you country. You really do,” said Wallace-Hodges.

As they prepare for July 4th celebrations, it’s that sense of community and pride that makes these citizens proud to call America and Louisville home.

Mr. John, who started this tradition actually couldn’t do it this year. He injured his leg after his home was destroyed.
Neighbors say when he say the flags lined up along the street, he broke down with tears of joy.