Memorial honoring Jan. 2017 tornado victims unveiled at Radium Springs

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - People gathered at Radium Springs Thursday morning for the unveiling of a new memorial dedicated to victims of the January 2017 storms.

It was a somber yet celebratory mood at Radium Springs for the unveiling.

It’s to honor the five people who lost their lives during a tornado on January 22, 2017.

“Maj. Paul J. Freeman, born July 15, 1935. Patricia Ann Gohman, born November 28, 1939. Cathy McMahon Mosley, born November 26, 1957. James Edward Mosley, born July 24, 1957. Oscar Reyna, born May 16, 1978,” said Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas, as he named the five people who lost their lives.

Linda Freeman, daughter of Paul Freeman, said the support from her neighbors was and is still incredible.

“What amazed me was how the community came together and how within a day, there were 17 or 20 people at my dad’s house helping us clean through things,” Linda said.

Cohilas said this new memorial is the beginning of the county’s efforts to restore Radium Springs.

It’s one of the jewels of southwest Georgia, Cohilas said.

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