SPRINGFIELD — For Armando Feliciano, the loss of his home for 18 months was difficult enough in the aftermath the tornado of June 1, 2011, but the losses go beyond the physical rebuilding and recovery.
Feliciano said he still sees the emotional repercussions of the tornado, including the impact it had on his grandchildren, who literally saw the wrath of the tornado as he rushed them into his basement.
“They heard and saw everything,” Feliciano said.
The grandchildren were then ages 8 and 6, and he believes they still have a little bit of fear in them about trees. Several large trees had crashed into the house, and Feliciano rushed family members and even a refrigerator delivery man into his basement. It happened so fast that he didn’t even realize that he had corralled the delivery man with the others until all were in the basement.
“My instinct was to grab everybody,” Feliciano said.
It was a difficult process getting the house built on the same property at 36 Amanda St., in East Forest Park, with insurance and contractor delays, and not all expenses covered, Feliciano said. There was a loss of personal belongings that can never be replaced, he said.
“I think we are really doing well,” Feliciano said. “We are happy that we are back home, and have everything together and back to normal. There were some hiccups along the road.”
The hiccups included needing to get a loan to complete the construction of the new house, and insurance did not cover the full cost of construction and furnishings, Feliciano said.
One of his greatest feelings was being involved with DevelopSpringfield in the tornado rebuild process, and serving as chairman of the Celebrate Springfield Gala to raise money for the Rebuild Springfield master plan, Feliciano said.
“I think that what came out of this negative experience (the tornado), was that our city got a little more together — people getting to know each other better,” Feliciano said.
By Peter Goonan | pgoonan@repub.com
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on May 31, 2016 at 6:30 AM, updated May 31, 2016 at 6:34 AM
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SPRINGFIELD – Armando Feliciano’s tornado-damaged kitchen at 36 Amanda Street. Staff photo by Lucila J. Santana
