Tennessee Communities Honor Victims Of Deadly Tornadoes

It's been one year since a string of deadly tornadoes swept through Middle Tennessee, leaving 25 people dead and thousands of homes destroyed. Several communities across the state were left devastate, not just from the damage but from the tragic loss of life. One year later, they continue to mourn those who were taken while honoring the lives they led.

In Putnam County, 19 people were killed on March 3, 2020, and even though months have gone by, many residents feel like no time has passed at all, News Channel 5 reports.

"I can't believe it's been a year," said Lisa Samide, who was asleep when a tornado touched down near her home. "It's still fresh in your memory that's for sure." When she saw the damage that was left behind, she had one thought: "I can't believe I lived through this."

Sadly, the same couldn't be said for over a dozen Putnam residents. To honor their memories, the community is creating a new park in some of the empty lots left behind by destroyed homes.

"It's going to be called Hope Park, and it's just a playground, walking trail, a nice green space for the folks in the neighborhood," said Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter. "We want to make sure that everybody remembers there that at one time, there were other families that lived here that lost everything, but we've recovered."

In Mt. Juliet, three people lost their lives in the tornado. On Tuesday (March 2), the eve of the first anniversary of the storm, the city gathered to hold a vigil to honor their memories, the news outlet reports. When the vigil ended, three beams of light shone bright into the sky to represent how their memory lives on in the community.

On Wednesday morning (March 3), Nashville held a moment of silence to commemorate the storms and the two lives that were lost in the city. Mayor John Cooper said that even though 2020 was difficult, "in the end, it's the year where we're going to understand that we can function as a community, and we can build on the last year to build a great city going forward."

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