A Mother’s Unimaginable Loss After Tornado Claims Twin Daughters in Upstate New York

On Sunday, June 22, the community of Clark Mills in Oneida County was shattered by a force of nature no one saw coming. An EF-1 tornado, with peak winds reaching 105 miles per hour, ripped through the area, according to the National Weather Service in Binghamton. It tore apart trees, damaged buildings, and forever changed the life of a mother and her daughters.

A Home Destroyed, A Heart Broken

Among the structures damaged was the home of Kayleigh Bisson and her six-year-old twin daughters, Emily and Kenni. As the storm barreled through their neighborhood, a massive tree nearly three feet in diameter came crashing down on their two-story home, striking the very room where Kayleigh sat with her girls.

The roof collapsed with terrifying force. Kayleigh, trapped under the debris, couldn’t find her daughters. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but the outcome was the kind of heartbreak no one is prepared for. Emily and Kenni were found inside the home and tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

Two Bright Lights Lost Too Soon

Emily and Kenni were so much more than sisters, they were best friends, teammates, artists, dancers, and the heart of their community. Whether they were on the softball field, dancing at practice, showing off their gymnastics moves, or leaving trails of chalk art down the sidewalk, they brought joy wherever they went.

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They were the kind of kids who lit up a room just by walking into it. Their laughter was infectious, their smiles unforgettable. They reminded everyone around them to slow down, enjoy the little things, and never pass up a chance to dance.

A Mother's World Turned Upside Down

Kayleigh is a devoted single mother who, in a single moment, lost everything, her home, her possessions, her memories, and most tragically, her daughters. In the midst of trying to survive this unthinkable heartbreak, she is now faced with the overwhelming burden of planning two funerals.

No parent should ever have to do this. No mother should have to stand in the wreckage of what was once her safe place and try to piece together the future.

How You Can Help

The community is rallying around Kayleigh in every way it can, but she needs more support to give Emily and Kenni the celebration of life they deserve. These girls touched so many lives in their short time on earth, and now New Yorkers are being called to come together to honor them.

If you’re in a position to help, even in a small way, your donation can ease a fraction of the weight Kayleigh is carrying. Every bit of support helps this incredible mom begin to navigate a world she never imagined, one without her girls.

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Please, consider donating to the GoFundMe or by sharing their story. Let’s give these two beautiful souls the goodbye they deserve and show Kayleigh that love, even in loss, never fades.