Family who lost 7-month-old twins in Tennessee flood provided home, other donations

WAVERLY, Tenn. — A family who lost twin 7-month-old babies in last weekend's major flooding in middle Tennessee now has a home to live in, thanks to a generous donation.

Matthew Rigney and Danielle Hall and their four children were in their apartment in Waverly, Tennessee, on Saturday when floodwaters crashed through their front door.

Though Rigney saved two of his children, the twins, Ryan and Rileighana, died when the raging waters tore them from his arms.

"I had the twins in my arms, Brayla at my hip and Maleah around my neck. The water, when it hit us, just pulled us under, all of us trapped underneath a bed," Rigney said.

Angie Cason

"We never, ever imagined we would be burying babies who are 7-months-old," Hall said.

Through their grief, Rigney and Hall have been forced to rebuild their lives, having lost everything they owned in the floods. But on Tuesday, word surfaced that someone had provided the family a home in which to live for the next year.

In addition, a GoFundMe account that had been created to help the family has raised more than $90,000 so far.

The family has been overwhelmed with donations of money, clothing, food and furniture as they try to rebuild their lives. Now, their attention turns to laying their children to rest.

A visitation is planned for Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a service to follow at West Harpeth Funeral Home in Nashville.

This story was originally published by Laken Bowles on Scripps station WTVF in Nashville.