One year since Bedford County tornado

Some community members are still picking up the pieces

BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – Nearly a year has passed since an E-F 2 tornado ravaged parts of Bedford County.

Thankfully no one died, but emergency officials say the storm caused millions of dollars in damage.

10 News caught up with some people who are still picking up the pieces.

The intersection of Bethany Church Circle and Crockett Road looks a bit different than it used to.

Patricia Spruce has lived in her home for 21 years and never experienced a storm, like last year’s tornado that cause destruction in the area.

“When I opened the door it was so dark and raining, there wasn’t a tree standing,” Spruce said.

Spruce was just one of several people in the tornado’s path, trying to process the damage after the tornado hit.

“We lost our roof, the swimming pool, the decks the trees, the trees hit all three cars,” over here there was a tree that hit the side of the house,” Spruce said.

Janet Blankenship, the Bedford County Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator, said the EF 2 tornado had max winds of 135 miles an hour.

Blankenship said the county helped with debris removal until September. They also worked with local agencies like the American Red Cross to make sure people got immediate help.

“That’s how the county played the role, coming out here and being with them and seeing what their needs are,” Blankenship said.

There are still remnants of the tornado’s devastation the community was willing to rebuild.

Some have even remodeled their homes like you see in Westerns.

While the community has come together through tragedy and healed physically, some folks are still coping with the pain from last year’s storm.

Luckily officials say no one died in the weather event and they encourage people to check their homeowners’ insurance in case a severe weather event happens.


About the Author:

Duke Carter returned to 10 News in January 2022.