As Hurricane Helene tore through Georgia, it left a trail of destruction that claimed the lives of 33 people, including Kobe and her twin sons. The twins, Khazmir and Khyzier, are the youngest known victims of Hurricane Helene, which had already caused immense devastation across the southeastern United States. Their deaths serve as a heartbreaking reminder of the storm’s catastrophic power and the vulnerability of those caught in its path.
Just moments before the tragedy, Obie Williams, Kobe’s father, spoke with his daughter. The storm was intensifying, and Obie urged her to take shelter in the bathroom with her infants—considered one of the safer locations in their trailer. Kobe reassured him that she would follow his advice, hoping that this precaution would be enough to shield her family from the storm’s wrath. However, the powerful force of nature shattered their hopes and changed their lives forever.
Kobe had always called her father daily, but on the day of the storm, her call was filled with anxiety. Obie could hear the violent winds howling and the relentless pounding of branches against the trailer. Despite her visible concern, Kobe promised her father she would stay with her babies in the bathroom. After the call ended, Obie attempted to call her back a few minutes later, but there was no response. It was then that the family began to fear that something had gone terribly wrong.
Hours later, one of Kobe’s brothers managed to make his way to her home. The roads were treacherous, filled with fallen trees and downed power lines, making the journey difficult. When he arrived, he found a scene too devastating for words—a massive tree had fallen directly on Kobe’s trailer, right where she had taken shelter with her sons. The impact crushed Kobe, and she fell on top of her babies. Tragically, none of them survived.
In a matter of moments, Hurricane Helene had ripped through the Williams family’s lives, leaving them shattered by the loss. “I’d seen pictures when they were born and pictures every day since, but I hadn’t made it out there yet to meet them,” Obie said about his grandsons, his voice full of sorrow. “Now I’ll never get to meet my grandsons. It’s devastating.”
Hurricane Helene had already caused massive destruction across Florida and continued to do so as it moved into Georgia. By the time it reached Thomson, it had grown into a monstrous storm, with powerful winds and heavy rainfall overwhelming the region. The storm ultimately claimed more than 200 lives across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas, leaving behind grief-stricken families and devastated communities.
Obie revealed that Kobe had considered evacuating, but she ultimately decided that doing so with her one-month-old babies wasn’t an option. Instead, she chose to stay in her trailer, hoping that she and her children would remain safe. Unfortunately, Helene proved too powerful to withstand, and her choice to stay ended in unimaginable tragedy.
Kobe was described by her father as strong, social, and always smiling. She was loved by everyone who knew her. Her dream had been to become a nursing assistant, but she put her aspirations on hold after giving birth to her twins on August 20. She was determined to continue her education, but now those dreams have been cruelly cut short.
The Williams family, residing just 30 miles away in Augusta, Georgia, found themselves trapped in their neighborhood for over a day following the storm’s destruction. Downed power lines, cracked utility poles, and fallen trees blocked their path, making it impossible for them to reach Kobe in time. The family could only hope for her safety, not knowing the true extent of the devastation until it was too late.
As they prepare for the funeral, the grief of losing Kobe and her twins weighs heavily on the family. “That was my baby,” Obie said, speaking of his daughter. “And everybody loved her.” The news of Kobe Williams and her twin sons’ tragic deaths spread across social media, with countless people expressing their sorrow and offering support to the grieving family.
Many online commenters shared their emotions upon hearing of the tragedy. One person wrote, “When I first heard of the deaths of this mom and her infants, I broke down and cried!! We all know she was so very scared and was physically protecting her babies! She and her babies are now in the arms of Jesus! Prayers for all of her family as they deal with this loss!”
Another mother echoed similar sentiments: “This is heartbreaking. I can only imagine her panic as a mother myself. Being born and raised with our Texas crazy weather, I have always stayed awake during bad storms because I fear tornadoes and such.”
One commenter summed up the feelings of many by writing, “That was very hard to read. That poor family. That mama and her babies. Why do bad things happen to good people?”
Water entering the streets, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
Hurricane Helene is now ranked as one of the deadliest storms to strike the U.S. mainland in the past 70 years, making it the most lethal since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A week earlier, the storm had made landfall near Perry, Florida, as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of around 140 mph. Though the winds weakened as it moved inland, the torrential rainfall overwhelmed much of the Southeast, affecting an area over 500 miles wide.
Officials are still assessing the full scale of the destruction, and emergency responders have been dispatched to help those in the most severely affected and isolated areas. Relief funds are being established to support the victims, and authorities are urging people to contribute through coordinated channels instead of attempting to travel to the disaster zones themselves.
Rescue services evacuating people, as seen in a video dated October 3, 2024 | Source: YouTube/Global News
The story of Kobe Williams and her twin sons is a somber reminder of the incredible power of nature and the fragility of human life. As the Williams family navigates their immense loss, they are comforted by the outpouring of love and support from the community, which stands as a beacon of hope during this dark time.
