BEAUREGARD, Ala. _ Skyla Hudson, 41, is mourning her aunt, Vicki Braswell, a sunny presence who relished "dates" with her grandchildren and was among the 23 who died in the series of tornadoes that struck here Sunday, transforming a close-knit town into a grieving family.
President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, came to town to pay their respects Friday, Hudson and most of Beauregard took solace.
"I know she's smiling down," Hudson, of Columbus, said of her aunt, who would have turned 70 in May. "She just would have loved to meet him."
As Beauregard begins the process of burying the dead _ at least two funerals were held Friday _ Trump arrived to serve as comforter-in-chief. He marveled at the ferocity of the tornadoes and assured Alabamians that federal help will remain as long as it's needed. He met with survivors, relatives of the dead and volunteers at Providence Baptist Church, which is a gathering point for volunteers and families. At one point, he signed several hats and Bibles, including one for a 12-year-old boy to the group's applause.
Trump and his wife took a helicopter over the worst-hit areas and later toured them on foot. He noted he had met with a family who lost 10 members in the estimated 30 tornadoes that raked the South.
"I've never seen anything like it," Trump said.
Trump, whose administration was criticized for a slow response to the 2017 hurricane that ravaged Puerto Rico, told the church crowd that Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who joined him on the tour, had to caution him to give first responders time to pick up before he arrived.
"We couldn't get here fast enough," Trump said. "I wanted to come the day it happened."
After speaking briefly at the church, Trump walked outside to 23 wooden crosses that relatives of the dead had adorned with stuffed animals, flowers and messages. Holding his wife's hand, he spent several moments in front of each cross, touching at least one.
Trump, who flew on Air Force One into Fort Benning, Ga., before boarding helicopters, was greeted in Alabama by Ivey and Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., who each had toured the damage earlier in the week. He brought with him Alabama's other senator, Republican Richard Shelby.
The president's helicopter spent about 25 minutes over the tornado zone, which extended about 70 miles across Alabama and Georgia.
More than 100 homes were rendered uninhabitable.
Trump was accompanied by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Federal Emergency Management Agency Deputy Administrator Peter Gaynor.
The White House said the Trumps were expected to visit the site that was once the home of Sheila Creech and Marshall Lynn Grimes, who died in the tornado. Creech came to Beauregard to live with Grimes after her Panama City apartment was damaged by Hurricane Michael in October 2018.
Grimes' daughter, Kayla, was hospitalized and her best friend, Taylor Thornton, 10, died at the home. The two girls had just returned from a camping trip. The family expected to meet with the Trumps included Grimes' son, Chris Grimes and his wife, Denise, his brother David Grimes and his wife, Kristen.
Services were held earlier Friday for Taylor at First Baptist Church in Opelika. "She was loved by everyone that knew her," her obituary read. "Taylor loved her family and was known as 'Sweet Taylor' to everyone she knew."
Taylor, one of the youngest victims of the storm, loved to "ride horses, roller blade, ice skate, and hang out with her best friend."
The White House said the Trumps were also to meet with Susanne and John Polk, who narrowly missed the tornado. John Polk was hospitalized a week and a half ago and his doctors kept him longer than had been planned. On Sunday morning, Susanne Polk left the house to visit her husband and minutes later received a message that Lee Road 38 was hit by a tornado.
Susanne Polk is a member of the Beauregard Volunteer Fire Department and helped in the search and rescue.
The Trumps also were to visit the home of Tammy and Jim Cardwell. Tammy Cardwell was home during the storm and survived.
There were already signs of support for the presidential visit before Trump left Washington. Fans with his red signature "Make America Great Again" hats waited by the road, hoping to spot the motorcade. At the local high school, residents signed a giant banner of thanks.
"For him to leave Washington, D.C., and come down to little Beauregard says a lot about the president," said Chad Roberts, a former Georgia police officer who used to ride motorcycles with David Dean, 53, one of the 23 people killed Sunday.
Trump was criticized this week for seemingly playing politics with disaster aid by saying on Twitter that "FEMA has been told directly by me to give the A Plus treatment to the Great State of Alabama and the wonderful people who have been so devastated."
But fans in the solidly Republican state dismissed concerns that Trump would play favorites.
"He's going to help people, regardless, to him that's irrelevant," said DuWayne "Moose" Bridges, Jr., who wore his red MAGA hat and stood outside the Beauregard High School where he was rewarded with a brief glimpse of Trump's motorcade. "Anytime he goes anywhere people are going to try to play politics. But we know even though he's a wealthy, successful businessman, he feels for the common people. He's going to do what's best for all Americans."
Trump left for his Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida, where he was scheduled Friday night to host and speak at a fundraiser for Trump Victory, a joint fundraiser committee authorized by his re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee.
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(Franco Ordonez of the McClatchy Washington Bureau contributed to this report.)
