Photo: 'The Rock' at Tennessee painted to honor those affected by Gatlinburg fires
As wildfires continue to rage in the Smoky Mountain town of Gatlinburg, people across the country are doing what they can to aid the victims of the devastating natural disaster.
On Thursday, “The Rock” on Tennessee’s Knoxville campus was painted to offer prayers to those affected by the tragedy:
Our thoughts continue to be with our friends and neighbors in #Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains. pic.twitter.com/XwN2zHiL44
— UT Knoxville (@UTKnoxville) December 1, 2016
Artist Kate Hooper painted the rock with the image of Tennessee’s mascot, Smokey, according to Payton Miller, who has also provided the artwork for The Rock in the past:
Not me, friend – that's @hik4te's handiwork ? https://t.co/7jPkPIdBdw
— Payton Marie Miller (@PaytonMarie03) December 1, 2016
As emergency crews continue to work to extinguish the blaze and help keep citizens safe, it’s important to keep those who willingly put themselves in harm’s way for the benefit of others in our thoughts.
It’s nice to see Vols nation drawing national attention to the fires of Gatlinburg.