WAVERLY, Tenn. — A Waverly family lost the glue to their family when 7-year-old Lucy Conner died in the flood. Her body was recovered on Sunday.
Lucy’s cousin Samantha Tuten and Samantha’s dad live 15 minutes away. Lucy’s uncle got on his boat and came to try to save Lucy and her mother Shelly, but by the time he got there Samantha said Shelly was pinned against the ceiling by the water and Lucy had been carried away by the flood.
“I could still picture Lucy’s bed. She had a bed with a slide. She loved it. I could still picture it over there,” said Samantha Tuten.
It was a young life filled with dreams, taken away way too soon.
“Someday she would want to be a ballerina, some day she wants to be Spiderman. Some day she wanted to be a YouTuber. She had a lot of ambition,” said Samantha Tuten.
Lucy Lane Conner was carried away by the flood waters on Saturday. Her body was found Sunday miles away from her home.
“She deserved better. She is the baby. She was the light of my family. She was the glue,” said Samantha Tuten. “Our whole lives revolved around her. I think they always will.”
Samantha Tuten said they were hopeful Lucy would be found alive but are grateful her body was found and they have closure.
“It’s just a lot. I’m glad my dad got here,” she said. “It could have been worse. We could have lost Shelly too. He feels guilty he didn’t get here in time. We just love her so much and we’re going to miss her.”
Lucy's funeral service will be held Friday at Hurricane Chapel Free Will Baptist Church, 500 N. Hurricane Creek Rd., in McEwen. The family is inviting the public to wear their favorite color or teal, Lucy's favorite color, at the service.