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Neighbors at a Hillsdale RV park are picking up the pieces and finding ways to stay optimistic after a tornado tore through their community, flipping campers and scattering their belongings.
Terry Scott, whose RV was flipped, recalled the terrifying moments as the storm hit Monday night.
"I looked over my shoulder, and that’s when I saw a couple of RV's — I wasn’t sure which ones — flipping onto their sides and being carried away," Scott said on Monday night.
On Tuesday, Scott was picking up the pieces of his belongings, including family pictures and a Kansas mug that survived the storm. He said the reality of the situation and the work required for insurance claims is setting in.
"When I'm picking up the items and putting them in the piles, you're reminiscing about, you know, where was I when I got this and who was with me when I got this and, you know, the memory that it evokes," Scott said. "See them damaged or something like that, it kind of breaks your heart a little bit."
Despite the devastation, neighbors are finding ways to stay optimistic and rely on their sense of community.
"It's been pretty devastating for a lot of us," Scott said. "But quite honestly, I've never seen such good humor, you know, a sense of community, people pulling together and such. And that's always a wonderful thing to see."
Tonja Gilbert and her husband, who live in their camper part of the year, found their RV blown into a nearby pond after taking shelter.
"When it all kind of calmed down, we saw it," Gilbert said. "We were like, 'yeah, it's ours - in the pond,"' Gilbert said. "We're safe. We're good. You know, thank God for that. The Lord kept us safe."
Gilbert said they are focusing on the good, and noted their belongings are just material things and replaceable.
"I think my husband said a new camper," Gilbert said. "He wants to do this again."
Brad Reichle, a local tow truck operator, described the destruction as the worst he has ever seen.
"The feeling was horrible," Reichle said. "It's some of these people have been here all their lives and seeing that their little town just got destroyed is horrible."
Reichle said his part of his business will be closed while he figures out the next steps.
He said their tow trucks are still operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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