Community of Louisville reflects 2011 tornado
The bells rang 10 times at 10 o'clock to represent the 10 years and 10 lives lost in the tornado.
LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s been 10 years since a storm that began at Four Corners formed into a dangerous tornado, moving into Winston County, taking lives and homes in its path.
Sunday, April 28, was for remembering, and for honoring the many people who rebuilt the community.
The ringing of the church bells could be heard throughout Louisville.
The bells rang 10 times at 10 o’clock to represent the 10 years and 10 lives lost in the tornado.
“Being year 10, we’re trying to be solemn at appropriate remembrance for those who lost the most,” Mayor Will Hill said. “There’s a loss of life, there’s a loss of memories, there’s a loss of homes, jobs, it was so much suffering. But, in all that suffering, it was an amazing story being written that looking back now we see all these provisions of just compassion and commitment to rebuild. It all is just a true example of community.”
Will Hill, the mayor of Louisville said the people who lived in Louisville came together as one on the day of the tornado – and in the days and months that followed.
“This community as a whole not me, not the mayor, not just one agency or one entity, it was the outgoing of support,” Hill said. “Everybody taking action. Everybody rose to the occasion to be heroes on that day and I’m just certainly proud to be the face and voice of Louisville as the mayor. Looking back very proud to see how far we have come.”
In addition to homes and businesses, the storm damaged the hospital and a nearby nursing home.
“There were inoperable but it didn’t mean the health care providers weren’t heroes,” Hill said. “They were continuing to provide care in triad situations. We moved into; with the help of the state of Mississippi, into an emergency parking lot type hospital then a tent hospital then a modular hospital, and now we are in the state-of-the-art, all brand-new health care facility.”
After the ringing of bells, there was a memorial service to honor the storm victims and commemorate the unity of the community.
Ten lives were lost in Louisville during the tornado, and more than 400 homes were damaged.
Mayor Hill says the city lost more than a million square feet of industrial space to storm damage.
