Family reopens McCook motel after business destroyed by 2023 tornado: 'Future is brighter than ever'

MCCOOK, Ill. (WLS) -- More than a year after their business was blown away by a tornado in McCook, the Patel family has finally opened the doors to its Skyline Motel again.

ABC7's Mark Rivera was there the night of the tornado and brought us back full circle.

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Rivera was there during the worst moments of their lives, the ones when only a hug can comfort.

Their home, business and livelihood were shredded by a tornado in July 2023.

"I can't believe it, man. It just flew away," Rajan Patel said, at the time. "It still doesn't seem real."

Debris littered the lawn of the Skyline Motel in McCook, owned by the Patel family, whose grandparents immigrated from India in the 1990s. The business was left in taters with rooms destroyed and the roof blown off.

"It was a blessing in disguise, yeah," Rajan said.

The Patels have accomplished a resilient resurrection after months of work rebuilding and relying on the helping hands of family.

"Lots of blood sweat and tears going into this place. Lots of emotions, lots of sleepless nights but finally back open. You can't ask for anything else," Rajan said.

Rajan and Bharat Patel showed ABC7 the renewed business from top to bottom. That included a brand-new roof and modern rooms, rebuilt from the rubble in the days after the tornado, with a real sense of hope for the future.

"'Is it even worth doing it over?' Then, we started doing one by one. OK, we got the fence up. It looks a little better. Paint the walls. OK, it looks a little better. Get all new furniture. OK, it's starting to look really good now," Rajan said. "The future is brighter than ever."