Life in Diamond back to normal amid rebuilding construction

DIAMOND, Ill. (WLS) -- In Diamond Estates, the neighborhood in Diamond hardest hit by the EF-2 tornado, there is still construction going on and families who have not yet been able to come home.

"It's been a long year, it's been a difficult year, but you can see everything is coming together," said Diamond Mayor Teresa Kernc.

A year ago, Laurel and Ed Bischoff opened their home to volunteers, making pot after pot of coffee, distributing hot drinks and donated food to all those involved in the relief effort.

"It's a really funny feeling. You never felt like a victim, you felt like a volunteer," Laurel Bischoff said. "I had to help my neighbor. I gotta go over there, I got to do this."

"We used to see each other, say hello, small talk, but we never really hung out. Now after the tornado, everybody is forming relationships," said Ed Bischoff.

Barb Hammit is still finding debris in the backyard of her home, which took seven months to rebuild.

"We were probably some of the first people back in our homes in early June and it was a deafening silence.

All the while she was planning her daughter's wedding.

"Three days before the ceremony, I was calling up the landscapers because the whole yard had to be re-sodded and I'm like, 'Get this yard in because we have a wedding coming the end of the week, and we'd like pictures here.'" she said.