1 year after tornado, residents rebuild in Washington, Ill.
WASHINGTON, Ill. (WLS) -- Deadly tornadoes hit several communities in central Illinois one year ago on Monday. The Nov. 17, 2013 outbreak was rare, as tornadoes ripped through Washington, near Peoria.
The tornado's path took it directly through LaHood Park, where a prayer service and a moment of silence will be observed Monday to mark the exact moment the tornado touched down.
Esmeralda Ozella remembers every detail of that day. Like many, she was in church on that Sunday morning with her two oldest daughters. Her husband and then 2-year-old toddler were at home.
"We drove," Ozella said. "We tried to get to our house from the church, but as soon as we got a couple blocks away there was debris all over the road and we couldn't even get to our house. So at that point, I just pulled over in a parking lot and my girls and I just prayed."
Fortunately, Ozella's husband and daughter were not hurt. But the family's home was one of 595 that were destroyed. More than 1,100 others were badly damaged.
"It's just been hard," she said. "Our family had to move like four different times to get us back home. Not having somewhere to go or something to call your own is such an empty and hard feeling to deal with. "
Looking at the neighborhood one year later, the progress is clear. The Ozellas moved into their new home in August and many of their neighbors were already settled in. Others are on the way.
City planner, Jon Oliphant, said the rebuilding process is moving even faster than expected.
"We're closing in on at least three-quarters of the homes have at least started rebuilding," Oliphant said. "So we don't have that many more in the whole scheme of things that have not started yet."
Ozella said that although the tornado brought challenges she never could have predicted, there also are rewards.
"God, we appreciate everything we have," she said. "My kids and even myself, you don't understand the things you take for granted when you don't have anything. So you definitely have an appreciation and I don't think, God knows we'll try not to take anything for granted again."
There are some lots where there are firmly planted "for sale" signs, where homeowners have decided they will not return. Beyond that, city administrators said they are expecting most people to be back in their homes by the middle of next year.
VIDEO: Washington tornado survivors continue recovery 1 year later
Linda Gonia, a tornado survivor, built her new home on the foundation of the old one. The basement of this home is the same one she and her family hid to survive.
"I could see out my window and I could see stuff flying by. This part makes me emotional because it was the first time in my life that I thought, 'Oh my gosh, we might die in this basement,'" Gonia said.
After climbing out, Gonia saw her house and vehicles were destroyed. One year later, she admits to experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Recently, she felt the effects when the town performed a siren test.
"The second I heard that siren go off, my heart started to beat faster. You're uncomfortable. My daughter sleeps half of the time in the basement, because she's afraid," Gonia said.
Tom Goodell is a member of the Long-Term Recovery Team.
"I have as many people coming to me seeking help now as I did, probably more so than I did, in the week or two after the tornado," Goddell said.
He has seen adults with trouble sleeping and concentrating and children stricken with fear because of flashbacks. Other counselors are seeing an uptick in domestic problems and alcohol abuse.
Goodell continues to encourage Washington residents to get help.
"We're all human beings. We're all different. We're all wired differently. It's going to take us different time periods to recover who we are," he said.
Goddell is also a pastor at Crossroads United Methodist Church. Special services were held on Sunday to remember the tornado, and some members admitted they could not attend. It was too difficult and too soon.
