KENTUCKY (NewsNation) — After returning home the morning after a tornado ripped through the roof of the building, Kentucky man Jordan Baize struggled to start the cleanup process.

There was so much to do, Baize said, but it was hard for him to focus on one task after such a tragedy.

So, to calm his mind, Baize started playing on a Yamaha grand piano that was still standing in the corner of the room.

“That’s what music does for me, especially Christian music,” Baize said on NewsNation’s “Morning in America.”

Her sister took a video, which went viral. Less than a week later, Baize was invited to perform the same song at the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

Baize is one of many people dealing with the aftermath of 61 tornadoes that tore through eight states from Arkansas to Kentucky on Dec. 10. Killing at least 90 people, more people died in the 2021 storms than in previous 2016-2018 tornadoes combined. Nearly two months later, many are still struggling with homelessness and piles of debris surrounding areas where the tornado hit hardest, particularly in Kentucky.

Officials said reconstruction could take years.

Baize has not yet been able to rebuild his own home, but he said he and his family could.

“That’s our plan,” Baize said. “It’s just a slow process right now.”

For the moment, Baize and his family are staying in an apartment above an office, where they are comfortable and happy.

“Many of our friends and neighbors are still struggling with debris and cleanup,” Baize said. “There were a few people who were able to start the rebuilding process.”

Many people are also staying with their families, Baize said.

“It’s such a tight-knit community here,” Baize said. “I wouldn’t want to live in any other type of place.”

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