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By PAUL DeMARCO | Guest Columnist

Note: This is an opinion column.

As we look back over the past three months, it has been some of the most difficult times we have seen in Alabama history. The economic, physical and mental injury to state residents has had a huge impact on the state.

Unfortunately, Alabama has seen its share of death and despair. We only have to go back almost a decade ago to the violent April 27, 2011 tornados that killed over 253 individuals in a single day. This state saw 62 tornados that day, when the average number of tornados we have for a year is 65.

And of course, Alabama has had a history of strong hurricanes that have not only damaged the state’s Gulf coast but other parts of the state as well. Those hurricanes left communities devastated and took them years to recover.

The state has also survived other epidemics over the years including the Spanish Flu and Polio.

It is hard to predict the trajectory of the pandemic as we move through the year, but what we know for certain is Alabama residents always take care of their neighbors and make the sacrifices to take care of each other. Anytime we have seen such troubled times in our state, we always see residents stepping up to support those in need. That is why Alabama is one of the most patriotic and charitable states in the Nation.

We should not expect anything different for this crisis.

Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives.