Home of Jefferson City family left 'barely recognizable' from May tornado

JEFFERSON CITY — Louis Richmond and his family were among the many who lost their home to the May 22 tornado.

Richmond lived in a duplex off of East Dunklin Street in Jefferson City. He said going back to it now makes him think of the night of the storm and the night his life changed forever.

“To come back here, it really brings back the memories," he said. "Sometimes I shake a little because of what happened and what could have happened.”

He said while most people may have been asleep during the storm, he was outside when it happened and witnessed the tornado heading his direction.

"I couldn’t believe it," he said. "You see it on TV but I couldn’t believe it was happening.”

Richmond said he was outside smoking a cigarette on his porch, and sprinted inside to grab his fiance and take cover.

“I didn’t hesitate for a second," he said. "I mean we had just got in and closed the door and it happened.”

Richmond and his fiance took shelter in a closet of his home that he refers to as their "safe haven." He said the tornado hit for a matter of seconds and he felt his home shake.

The Richmond's roof was ripped off, windows were blown out, and children's toys and a television were tossed into the middle of the road.

"Sometimes I have to hold back the tears because this place is barely recognizable,” he said.

Richmond said when the storm passed, he walked out of the closet to scope out the damage. While the power was out due to the storm, he didn't need a light to recognize his roof was missing.

"Where all the boarding is- there was nothing there," he said. "Nothing but just sky and I could see lightning flashing still.”

Since the storm, the Richmond family has been living in temporary locations. They have moved from shelter to shelter and most recently had been living in a hotel. They will continue to move around until they find a permanent location.

Richmond said he is grateful for the help and support of the community, and especially for the generosity of the American Red Cross Association.

“The Red Cross gave us shelter and we’ve managed to stay in hotels on their dime," he said. "It’s really nice of them to do that. They've made sure we’ve had every comfort.”

He said the American Red Cross has helped make them comfortable in days they felt like they had lost everything.

“The part that was really rough was sometimes we were in limbo," he said. "We had no idea of what was going to happen the next day. What helps is when you are reassured that tomorrow is going to be okay, that we are going to be there for you. That you are not going to be homeless.”

Through it all, Richmond said he has relied on his faith to stay positive.

“We’ll look back one day and go 'Yes, it can happen to us but we can rebound', he said. "We can move on and we can move forward.”

Richmond said they are first in need of an apartment. He also said other items such as bedding, clothing, and furniture would also be greatly appreciated. Anyone interested in helping the Richmond family is encouraged to contact (573) 338-4594.