EAST MOLINE, Ill (KWQC) – At least five tornadoes touched down in Western and Central Illinois on Tuesday, March 15. In the Quad Cities area, East Moline, Hampton, and Rapids City were affected.
Rich Young and his family were only 20 minutes away from the home he built himself 15 years ago when the storm forced them to make a detour.
“I had no idea what we were going to see when we showed up,” Rich Young said.
Young and his neighbors are now looking to rebuild while faced with so much devastation.
“Yesterday, we had probably 30 to 50 people out helping us, helping other houses clean up, and it was just truck after truck helping out,” Young expressed.
Former East Moline police officer Joseph Reedy lived across the street from Young. He says the support he’s getting from residents allows him to reflect.
“As a law enforcement officer, I used to be on the other side of this, you know, helping people out, getting people out of houses that were imploded,” Reedy said. “Now I’m on this side of it, and everybody’s helping me out.”
The devastation is bringing others out to help, too. Cheryl Shagena came with food and drinks to do whatever she could.
“People are very grateful to survived,” Shagena reflected. “They’re thankful and grateful for anyone who offers to help and walks in, and they’re just like you and I.”
