One year later, some Woodridge homeowners still facing repairs from devastating tornado
WOODRIDGE, Ill. (CBS) -- Monday marks one year since a tornado ripped through southwest suburban Woodridge and Naperville, leaving piles of debris and wrecked homes in its path.
The storm was so powerful, some people are still recovering.
One year later, you can still see some of the damage from that twister – torn-up roofs, boarded- up windows – and you will still find construction crews working on repairs.
RELATED: Photos Of Damage After Tornado Slams Naperville, Woodridge
The echo of hammers down Everglade Avenue stopped briefly at 11:10 a.m. Monday for a moment of silence requested by neighbors and the Village of Woodridge.
It was 11:10 p.m. on June 20, 2021, when an EF-3 tornado damaged more than 600 homes in Woodridge.
"It was actually a nice moment of sort of closure for us," said Woodridge resident Derek Rockwell.
The storm caused $110,000 in damage to his home. He said his repairs just wrapped up last week, but he's still navigating an insurance maze.
"Our contractor and them are still going back and forth. So I wish that part were over, but it's not," he said.
But when he looks down the street, he considers himself one of the lucky ones.
The storm not only damaged property, but also injured a pregnant woman, and caused her to lose her baby.
"It does take a toll on you, emotionally. It's been a really weird day, actually, for me this morning," Rockwell said.
The Village of Woodridge said there are still 20 homes with some level of damage from the storm, including six homes that are not safe for people to live in.
"We've had, because of the economy, supply chain issues. So there have been supplies that have been very difficult for some homeowners to get. We have some who are still going through some insurance challenges," said Village Administrator Al Stonitsch.
RELATED: "It's A Disaster": Woodridge Residents Continue Clean Up Efforts After Tornado
The village proclaimed June 20 as Woodridge Strong Day; the same slogan Rockwell and his neighbors proudly displayed on their front lawns over the last year.
Last weekend, when his repairs were finally done, Rockwell invited his friends and neighbors over to sign it.
"A bunch of our friends and family have helped out enormously in the past year," Rockwell said.
The Village of Woodridge said they've also helped replace more 400 trees destroyed by that tornado, including about 120 on private properties. Those were donated by the Morton Arboretum.
