Bret Michaels and his band pitched in to help clean up efforts in a tornado-ravaged town in Nebraska. It was just over a week ago that Pilger, Nebraska sustained considerable damage and destruction following an EF4 tornado that touched down there. More than half of the town of 350 was impacted by the storm. Two of the town’s residents–one of them a little girl–were killed.

Michaels and his band were taken inside the Pilger Middle School to see the damage that took place there.

“I just got that lump,” he said as he observed the rubble. “Thinking about the children in this town, it takes your breath away.”

He added that he had no clue exactly what such devastation would look like up close.

“It’s one thing to see it on TV. But when you actually get out here, it’s completely different. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” Michaels said.

@AlexWOWT is in #Pilger, where @bretmichaels just arrived to help with storm clean-up. pic.twitter.com/1xUjFoGkGH

— WOWT 6 News (@WOWT6News) June 23, 2014

Bret Michaels and his band members and crew worked cleaning up rubble at the home of Tim and Betty Maly, who had nothing left on their property besides their basement.

“It’s wonderful. You can’t thank them enough. People take time out of their days off or use their spare time to come here. It’s just unreal,” Betty Maly said of the former Poison front man and his fellow musicians.

Photos From Today’s #Pilger #Nebraska Visit To Assist With Clean Up Efforts. @RedCross @SalvationArmyUS http://t.co/iCWPZm1YIe

— Bret Michaels (@bretmichaels) June 24, 2014

Bret Michaels knows all about people helping other people. When he suffered a brain hemorrhage in 2010 he was surrounded by many who supported him in his time of need. Perhaps this is his way of giving back.

Regardless of the reason behind his volunteer actions, Bret Michaels is certainly setting a wonderful example for other celebrities–showing that not only is it important to give of one’s wealth, but that rolling up one’s sleeves and pitching in for the dirty work is often important, too.

http://t.co/dtotSKWtB3 Thanks @myfoxphoenix for helping raise awareness about the folks in #Pilger #Nebraska http://t.co/igOi5G7UyV

— Bret Michaels (@bretmichaels) June 24, 2014

In addition to working their clean-up details, the former Celebrity Apprentice winner and his band signed autographs for the people of Pilger, as well as for other volunteers.

Image via Wikimedia Commons