Buffalo hit hard by deadly winter 'bomb cyclone': How we can help

FOX 2 (WJBK) - It was a Christmas weekend few will forget across part of the country -  including in Michigan and down the road in Buffalo, New York. The city, just a few hours away, is still slowly shoveling and melting out of unimaginable conditions.

"Buffalo got everything predicted and then some," said Mayor Byron Brown. "To hear there’s so much care and concern in Detroit for Buffalo means a great deal to us - particularly at this difficult time."

Believe it or not, some people’s actual homes were left frozen top to bottom. And it was the same storm that took dozens of lives in Buffalo, a city that’s been making national headlines for nearly a week.

Brown, the city’s longtime mayor, says if you can imagine a hurricane - try imagining one with snow, a lot of it.

"Friday and Saturday we had extreme blizzard conditions, meterologists called it a bomb cyclone," he said. "We had wind gusts up to 79 miles per hour. You could feel your home shaking. 

"We had temperatures as low as minus-22 degrees below zero, and we had white-out conditions where you could not see in front of your face."

Thousands of people were left without power, including Jordan Balduf.

"People were dying from carbon monoxide poisoning and freezing, and I mean, you can’t ever prepare for a situation like this," he said.

Jordan is from Buffalo,  but has called Michigan home for the past 12 years.

Like many people, he too, was excited to head home for the holidays. 

In fact, he and his fiancee were planning an engagement party - but that never happened. In fact, they were just able to get back to Ann Arbor.

"You think it’s going to stop and it doesn’t, I think I snow-blowed every hour for two days straight," he said.

Through it all the world has been watching, including many of us right here in Detroit wondering how to help - especially those dozens of families now burying loved ones ahead of a new year, instead of celebrating.

FOX 2: "What does it mean to you to hear folks from over here really willing and ready to help out?"

"Detroit knows Buffalo well, Buffalo knows Detroit well," Brown said. "Proud people, resilient people. Folks that really care about their neighbors and care about their community."

If you would like to help the recovery effort in Buffalo:

GoFundMe has a page dedicated to various verified donation drives for Buffalo winter storm victims HERE.

The Buffalo Salvation Army has a donation page HERE.