Chattanoogans on the Road to Recovery

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)-Neighborhoods near Jenkins Road and Standifer Gap road was one of the hardest hit areas from Sunday’s tornado.

Residents are working to move forward with whatever they can salvage.

Neighbors recall Sunday’s tragic storm as one of the scariest moments in their lives.

“I mean it was like 3 minutes and it was just total chaos” said Kelly Hall.

Derek Steele received a call from his mom. She told him her house in the middle shambles in the middle of the storm, “I was getting my family in our basement and once everything blew over it was just you know I gotta get to my mom.”

Tennessee Congressman Chuck Fleishmann believes the property damage and overall destruction is jarring, “Devastation is horrible. Home after home destroyed. It has to be way way up in the millions.”

Caleb Montague knows how lucky he is to still have his baby boy as he showed the destruction in his sons former room, “This was the nursery 2 weeks ago. My wife likes to change the house around but this was the nursery 2 weeks ago. So if he would have been in here I think it could have been a lot worse.”

Despite the horrible aftermath, no one l in this community has to recover alone.

“I got students here helping and co-workers and a lot of people Grace Academy where I teach” said Grace Baptist Academy teacher Matt Hall.

“We’re out here trying to help the community and trying to get this place rebuilt and build it better than it ever was” said Hulgan Lawncare Owner JustinHulgan.

Justin and his team served 500 meals to the community on Tuesday.

“We are here to support, to help. To do whatever we can. We’re a tight knit community” said nearby resident Amy Mills.

For neighbors who have minor to moderate damage, the rebuilding stage is expected to be for weeks to even months.

For the homes that are unsalvageable the road to recover is even longer.