BARNSLEY, Ky. (AP) — Devin Johnson’s life was uprooted for a second time when his home was flattened by a tornado over the Memorial Day weekend — right there. On the same stretch of land in Kentucky, another storm in 2021 left him homeless.
On Tuesday, Johnson, 21, watched as workers used chain saws to cut through the remains of a trailer where he was returning home with his grandparents and girlfriend. It's an all too familiar scene for his family.
Their previous home in the small western Kentucky community of Barnsley was destroyed by another horrific tornado in December 2021 that killed 81 people in the Bluegrass State.
“We never thought this would happen again,” Johnson said.
Amid all the uncertainty of starting over, he said, they decided on one thing.
“The only thing we know for sure is we're not coming back here,” Johnson said. “It's going to have a lot of memories of everything we lost.”
Barnsley was hit by a powerful tornado on Sunday that reached speeds of 165 mph (266 kph) and tore a path of destruction across nearly 36 miles (58 kilometers) of Kentucky, the National Weather Service said. sexual path.
The area has been battered by multiple rounds of severe storms, and damage survey teams are assessing the debris to determine how many tornadoes struck. Another severe storm barely missed Sunday as the city of Mayfield continues its difficult recovery from a tornado hit in 2021.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency due to Sunday's storm and reported five deaths across the state. The governor toured storm-battered areas of western Kentucky on Monday.
“We are committed to helping rebuild every family and every life — that's a promise,” Beshear said on social media platform X on Tuesday.
In Barnsley, a tornado ripped through part of the storm-battered community and dumped Johnson's mangled trailer into the yard next to where Mark Minton's family lived. The Mintons' roof was damaged and one end of the trailer was pushed off its foundation. The 2021 storms destroyed their home.
“I'm good at statistics and odds, but the numbers don't add up,” Minton said Tuesday of the two attacks on his home.
He still didn't know if this time it was a complete failure. His family is staying put after the 2021 storms, but he's not sure what they'll do after the latest tornado, the day after his daughter's wedding. He owns a lawn care company and his youngest son will be a high school student next school year — two factors that keep him in place.
“I've seen a lot of storms,” Minton said. “But to see the same area – with almost pinpoint accuracy – hit twice in two years, it's hard to stay in that area.”
His family fled to safety twice before each storm. He said that when his family stayed with relatives, he would stay overnight at his home to prevent any potential robberies.
Johnson's family also fled Sunday before the tornado struck, taking shelter with a relative in nearby Madisonville. As the storm barreled toward Barnsley, they watched the weather warnings and had a sinking feeling.
“We all have a feeling that we've lost everything again,” he said.
Later, as he drove home, emergency vehicles roared past him. As he turned the corner into his neighborhood, and as he approached his family's home, “there was nothing.”
In 2021, the Johnson family drove a trailer to get through the hard times. With no basement, Johnson hunkered down in the kitchen, clinging to a table with his grandparents, sister and her boyfriend. His uncle and aunt built themselves a mattress in the hallway.
“You started hearing a roar and the whole house started shaking,” he recalled. “The power starts flickering, the windows are shattered. Then all of a sudden you feel the wind and the pressure, this roaring sound tearing the house apart and it starts pulling at you, trying to drag you out.
None of them were injured, but the trailer was destroyed. Johnson said they salvaged several items from the wreckage, including a beloved statue of Jesus and Mary that his grandmother had treasured for decades. They found some family memorabilia, including photos.
Johnson said his family will decorate their new trailer in stages once they get enough money together. But after a recent storm, the family's house and belongings are scattered around the neighborhood.
“This time, everything we had is gone,” he said.
Later that day, they discovered an engagement ring that belonged to his girlfriend's grandmother.
“It was very meaningful to her because it was the last memory she had of her grandmother,” he said.
His family was insured both times when tragedy struck. But their situation is just as grim as the first time.
“Right now we have no money,” Johnson said. “So we're just trying to figure out what to do next.”
He stayed at a motel in Madisonville, with relatives helping pay for the stay.
Plans to move to Madisonville. He said he and his girlfriend have saved money since the 2021 storm in hopes of finding their own place, but for now they will likely stay with their grandparents. Johnson had a warehouse job in Madisonville and his girlfriend worked in a factory.
“From that point on, we had to deal with all the bills and everything became very stressful,” he said.
After witnessing the power of tornadoes, he longed for a home with a basement.
“We know how powerful they are and how easily they can take your life,” he said.
