Suburban Chicago residents clean up together after devastating storm
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Extensive cleanup is underway in west suburban Geneva, where high wind uprooted dozens of trees sending huge branches into windows and roofs.
The damage was concentrated on one specific subdivision.
It's where hard work is on the must-do list for many in Geneva where the Pepper Valley neighborhood is more than peppered with debris.
"Everybody's everything is kind of disheveled."
It was after Tuesday's powerful storm. Resident Jeff Dieken knows he faired well. Most are taking care of the cleanup independently, but for others, it's too heavy a lift.
"One block away looks like a direct hit," Dieken said.
"Can you believe the swing set that's in the neighbor's yard?"
On Essex Court, Devon Billeter was in disbelief.
"That thing is so heavy, I just can't even figure out how the heck that went over the fence. That's insane to me," Billeter said.
Her backyard in the current state is uninviting.
But her house?
"Uninhabitable. It's just crazy. I guess I was one of the worst-hit houses. Lucky me," Billeter said.
Devon said she was in her bedroom Tuesday night as tornado sirens blared and the house began to shake.
"Pieces of the insulation, asphalt, and dust all were circulating throughout the house," she said.
Billeter said the roof over her garage lifted like the lid of a trash can.
"And then when it slammed it back down, it collapsed the sunroom and the foyer. There's some major roof damage. Pieces of my roof are in the tree," she said.
And pieces of a tree are all over roofs.
"You can actually see the tree on top of his house. All the trees in the neighborhood have come down. I mean this is my neighbor's tree that fell over the fence line," Billeter said.
Damage to property, but not people.
"Nobody was hurt by any accord which is a miracle," Billeter said.
Pepper Valley keeps it all in perspective as they clean-up – together
"Don't sweat the small stuff."
