Jager Burton, Trent Noah, Jerod Smith deliver donated tornado relief supplies to Southern Kentucky

Last week, Kentucky natives Jager Burton and Trent Noah spearheaded UK’s tornado relief drive for the victims of the storms in Southern Kentucky. Today, they delivered those supplies and saw the damage firsthand.

Burton, Noah, and defensive lineman Jerod Smith, who hails from Somerset, accompanied UK Athletics staffers to London and Somerset to distribute the supplies. On Thursday and Friday, BBN filled an entire Kentucky Football equipment truck with the goods, which ranged from cleaning supplies to rakes, shovels, flashlights, work gloves, paper towels, and toilet paper. After unloading the truck and signing a few autographs, the three home-state stars visited some of the hardest-hit areas.

“Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate it,” Burton said when the last box came off the truck. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the WLEX18 people and teammates in other sports. I’m really proud of what we did. I hope you are too, and I’m just grateful for you guys helping and taking the stuff and making sure it gets to people. Thank you so much.”

Today we delivered a truckload of donated tornado relief supplies to London and Somerset.

Thank you, #BBN, for your generosity. pic.twitter.com/YIenH0UVX4

— Kentucky Athletics (@UKAthletics) May 28, 2025

Jager Burton, Jerod Smith, and Trent Noah in London, KY today, seeing the tornado damage and getting a firsthand look at the devastation their relief efforts are impacting. @UKAthletics @KentuckyMBB @UKFootball @LEX18News @BBNTonight pic.twitter.com/1uysEOi25L

— Hannah Hamelback (@hhamelbackTV) May 28, 2025

@LEX18News & @UKAthletics are in London this morning, unloading the trailer full of tornado relief donations.

More on these efforts tonight on LEX18 and @BBNTonight pic.twitter.com/tzYZUzoozx

— Hannah Hamelback (@hhamelbackTV) May 28, 2025

The EF-4 tornado, which was nearly one mile wide, touched down in Laurel and Pulaski Counties and was on the ground for 55 miles with winds peaking at 170 miles per hour. The storm left 19 people dead, with many still in critical condition. More than 1,500 homes were destroyed or heavily damaged, with 5,000 homes receiving at least some damage from the storms. The supplies just scratch the surface of what the area will need in the coming weeks, months, and even years.

“I’m super grateful,” Burton told BBN Tonight last week of the response to the relief drive. “We were talking about what my expectations were going into it, but we have a little truck that’s filled with water, and I thought we’d be able to fill that smaller truck up. With the help of you all, the great people around Kentucky and Lexington, I feel like we made a huge difference. … It’s an example of how strong our fanbase is. They show up for us regardless of circumstances, the tough losses and big wins.

“We wanted to show up for them for something that’s bigger than sports, which is this, helping with tornado relief.”

Good job, BBN. If you’d like to further support the recovery, consider making a monetary donation to the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund.