John Calipari, Darius Miller bring shoes, moments of joy to Kentucky tornado survivors

DAWSON SPRINGS, Ky. — Standing toward the edge of a crowd gathered in front of the lodge at Pennyrile State Park Sunday morning, a woman takes her chances with the limited cell service to try to FaceTime someone. 

Thankfully, she gets through. 

Because standing next to her is University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari.

"Everything good for you? You're OK?" he says to the person on the other end, racks of donated coats visible behind him.

"OK, I'll get a picture of him, momma," the woman says, soon hanging up to take that photo. 

Around her, other folks tried to do the same. Some approached Darius Miller, the former UK basketball player. Others wanted a picture with Gov. Andy Beshear.

Calipari's visit to the state park, where more than 100 tornado survivors have taken up refuge, brought a moment of joy after a week of chaos and pain in Western Kentucky.

Background: Kentucky tornado survivors cling together at park turned refuge

Shortly after tornadoes devastated parts of the region on Dec. 10, Gov. Andy Beshear said Calipari asked how he could help. 

The coach ended up contacting Samaritan's Feet, a Charlotte-based nonprofit, to secure 10,000 pairs of shoes to donate to tornado survivors. 

Some of those shoes were handed out Sunday at Lake Barkley State Park and Pennyrile.

At Pennyrile, 6-year-old Aiden Skipworth walked to a stack of boxes with Samaritian's Feet founder Manny Ohonme and Beshear to pick out a new pair of shoes.

Related: How to help Kentucky tornado victims

Once a new pair of bright blue sneakers were laced, Aiden jumped, giving the air a quick ninja kick before, on the encouragement of Ohonme, sprinting through the parking lot.

As shoes were doled out and selfies snapped, people shared their stories. Many lost their homes, while some had major repairs to make. One said they lost their car.

One said he lost his mom and aunt. He carried a photo, clutched close to his chest, of the sisters. 

A high school basketball player, talking to Calipari alongside several teammates who were volunteering at the event, quietly signaled his family lost their home. 

"Hang in there, we're all with you," Calipari told them in a huddle. 

Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth.