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Benefit raises money for tornado victim’s family: ‘My heart is broken, but I feel so much love’

Posted at 8:11 PM, Sep 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-30 20:22:42-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Weeks after a man was killed when tornadoes that swept through Central Virginia, dozens came together to support his family.

Ronnie Bishop was killed when The Old Dominion Floor Company's warehouse building he was working in collapsed from an EF-2 tornado.

The Great American Ranch restaurant, along with several local bands, including The Pat Russell Band and the nonprofit, Wear a Smile Share a Smile, put on a benefit concert for his family Sunday.

Half of the proceeds from the event will go to the nonprofit while the other will half go to Ronnie's family.

Gina and Ronnie Bishop

Gina and Ronnie Bishop

Several members of Ronnie's family and former co-workers came to the concert.

Gina Bishop, Ronnie's wife, said she and Ronnie would come to the Great American Ranch often.

"I'd give anything in the world not to have to do this so that Ronnie would be with me -- if you know what I mean," Bishop said. "I appreciate it, but I still would rather have Ronnie."

Gina remembered driving up to the rubble that used to be the warehouse where her husband worked and hearing the news.

"There was no words. You knew, you knew, they were devastated," she said. "Tears flowing -- that hurt, that awful, hurt look. And that's when I just lost it. I don't even remember."

After that day, people who knew Ronnie, and even those who didn't decided to do something to help.

"Picked up the phone the next day and said, 'Cindy, ...we've got to do something for this family and for charities. And I was like,  'We're all in... what do you want us to do?'" said Cindy Harris with Wear a Smile Share a Smile.

Gina said events like these, help her feel less alone.

"My heart is broken but I feel so much love it's unreal," she said.

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