Poignant footage of man playing piano amid rubble after losing his home in Kentucky tornado

14 December 2021, 17:54 | Updated: 17 December 2021, 09:18

Man beautifully plays piano in ruins of his home after tornado in Kentucky

A man turns to music in the ruins of his home, following devastating tornadoes in Kentucky.

Footage of a man playing the piano amid the destruction of his home has touched people across the country, after a surge of deadly tornadoes in Kentucky and beyond.

89 people have now been confirmed dead in the US, including 74 in Kentucky.

After losing his home, Jordan Baize sat at his piano, which remarkably survived the tornadoes, to play beautiful music.

When asked by ABC News why he decided to turn to his piano, Baize said, “music is important to me”.

He continued: “It just brings a sense of calm and peace in what was otherwise a pretty trying time. I didn’t know what kind of shape the piano was in, so I wanted to give it a try.”

Millions of people have viewed the video of Baize playing, with many saying it has helped to bring them calm amid the devastation of the last few days.

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Baize added: “That moment that many, many people now have seen, was really just for me. I didn’t know my sister was listening, much less recording – but maybe it’s brought some peace and comfort to many folks across the country, and if that’s the case, I’m happy.”

US president Joe Biden has declared a major federal disaster in the state, and Governor Andy Beshear said the tornadoes were the most destructive in the state’s history.

In the footage above, Baize plays the melody ‘There’s Something About That Name’ by Bill and Gloria Gaither.

“My house is destroyed, but I have some friends and neighbours in our little town of Bremen whose homes are missing,” Baize added. “So, when you really count the cost, I have nothing to complain about on this Monday, especially when you consider that our number is up to 12 lives lost in our little community. That’s 12 too many.”

The pianist’s sister, who posted the footage on Facebook, recalls the moment she heard her brother start to play. “I was standing in his bedroom packing anything I could salvage and I heard the most beautiful sound. Music. Everything around him was broken. The piano had water damage, it had missing keys, and he didn’t know I was filming, but still he used his gift...”