Loretta Lynn‘s granddaughter, singer-songwriter Tayla Lynn, will travel to Washington, D.C. to speak at the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle Summit this September.
Her visit revolves around a devastating tragedy the family’s home community suffered in August 2021, when Hurricane Mills, Tenn. — the site of the country superstar’s ranch — was hit by deadly floods.
Tayla will speak about the personal impact of the incident, as well as the way the family worked to assist their community in the aftermath of the flooding.
“Being asked to share our story at the Tiffany Circle Summit is deeply humbling,” Tayla says in a statement. “The flood that took so many lives in our hometown changed us forever.”
“I wasn’t the hero — I just opened my doors, linked arms with neighbors and tried to help people find their footing in the darkest hours,” she continues.
She’ll also perform with her band in a 30-40 minute presentation called Story and Song.
A Personal Loss
The flooding claimed the lives of 20 people in hard-hit Humphreys County, which is located west of Nashville.
Among them was Wayne Spears: The foreman of the Lynn ranch, and a man that the country legend considered family.
“There are no words at the ranch today … only tears,” Lynn said at the time, sharing several photos of Spears and reflecting on his irreplaceable presence on the ranch.
Read More: Loretta Lynn Heartbroken by Death of Her Ranch Foreman, Wayne Spears
At the time, WSMV reported that the Lynn ranch sustained over $1 million in property damage due to the floods. Tayla, who lived on the ranch, told the outlet that their family worried that the ranch might not survive.
“When it happened, I think we looked around the ranch and saw the devastation. There’s over a million dollars in damage and [we] went, ‘Oh my gosh, how do you fix all this? Is it done?'” she said.
Rebuilding a Community
Lynn was 89 years old at the time, but she was vocal and involved with the recovery efforts after the floods.
The country legend’s family partnered with the American Red Cross, organizing relief efforts for those in the community impacted by flooding.
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A benefit concert called Loretta Lynn’s Friends: Hometown Rising featured performances from stars like Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Luke Bryan and Luke Combs, and raised almost $1 million for relief efforts.
In recognition of their efforts, the family received the Red Cross humanitarian award the following March.
Continuing Lynn’s Legacy
Lynn died the year after the floods, in October 2022.
In a statement, Tayla Lynn says she sees her upcoming visit to the Tiffany Circle Summit as one way to carry on her legendary grandmother’s philanthropic legacy.
“To stand in a room full of women who have dedicated their lives to helping others and to share our community’s story of heartbreak and hope is an honor I don’t take lightly.”
The Tiffany Circle Summit will take place in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 11-13.
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Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
