South suburban neighbors work together after tornado knocks out power for thousands

HAZEL CREST, Ill. (WLS) -- One week after tornadoes struck Chicago's west, southwest and south suburbs, residents in Hazel Crest are reflecting on the damage left behind and the support they found from their neighbors.

An EF1 tornado hit Hazel Crest, knocking out power to thousands of residents. Among those affected was LuKisha Rutherford, whose sump pump stopped working after the outage.

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"The wall of rain, and I do say wall, the wall of rain was just so fast," Rutherford said.

The storm left water in Rutherford's garage and the lower level of her home, along with damage to gutters and siding. She said she is currently unemployed, living with heart failure and caring for her 15-year-old son.

Despite those challenges, Rutherford said support from neighbors helped her get through the aftermath.

"As long as I got strong people around me, I build off of their energy," she said. "When the storm hit, we showed up for each other."

Rutherford said each of her neighbors faced different challenges after the tornado.

Jane Robinson said access to power became an immediate concern for her family. She was able to borrow power from a generator owned by neighbor Laura Donnelly.

"It would have been really problematic for my son, who's diabetic and has insulin," Robinson said.

While Donnelly's home escaped significant damage, she said her yard was covered with debris. Robinson's son stepped in to help clean up.

"I'm out there with the rake because we have no electricity to do a blower. But they had a gas one; so her son comes out and just, I mean, cleans my yard up in a half an hour if less," Donnelly said.

The group spent five days in the dark while ComEd crews worked to restore service. Residents spent that time working to provide each other with a little light during their recovery.

"It's the small things that make sure somebody else has an opportunity to make it to the next day, the next day," Rutherford said.

Robinson said the support network was especially meaningful.

"It's remarkable, too, especially as a widow," she said. "It's wonderful to have that kind of network, and not feel alone."

Residents said the tornado left destruction in its path, but it also reinforced their sense of community.

"You know, sometimes people say to me, 'Well, why do you still live out there?' It's like, because I got wonderful neighbors," Donnelly said.

The village of Hazel Crest is also providing assistance to residents affected by the storm. A limited supply of flood kits is available at Village Hall for impacted homeowners on a first-come, first-served basis through 6 p.m. Tuesday.