x
Breaking News
More () »

Kenny Chesney raising money to help Virgin Islands after Irma

"I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been in war, but the devastation, the people’s faces in a place I know by heart have left me feeling helpless. It’s total devastation," he wrote in a message on his website.

Country music star Kenny Chesney has vowed to help the Virgin Islands rebuild after they were devastated by Hurricane Irma.

Chesney, who is from Knoxville, has a home on St. John which was heavily damaged. He wasn't there, but several friends and their dogs took refuge in the house and all survived.

MORE: Waiting for Jose: Caribbean braces for second potent storm

"I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been in war, but the devastation, the people’s faces in a place I know by heart have left me feeling helpless. It’s total devastation," he wrote in a message on his website.

"Most everyone’s displaced. They are frightened, confused, and they don’t know where help is going to come from. Those lives have changed and will never be the same. Those small islands are hard to get to and they rely on each other to get through what life hands them. For all of them, though, they’ve been where I’ve leaned for emotional and creative support for fifteen years because they are so generous," he continued.

Chesney has created the Love for Love City Foundation where fans can donate money to benefit the islands.

The hurricane killed at least 22 people on islands in the Caribbean, including four deaths on the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Thomas.

The storm wiped out all of the electricity and telephone service on the U.S. Virgin Island of St. John and knocked out about 70 percent of the island's utility infrastructure, Rep. Stacey Plaskett, the Virgin Islands' delegate to Congress, told USA TODAY.

Before You Leave, Check This Out