LEE COUNTY, Ala. -- In the wake of a devastating tornado, storm survivors in Alabama are trying to put Sunday’s destruction in perspective.
“We weren’t hurt, but I feel so bad,” Jackie Phillips told Fox News.
The longtime Lee County resident said she had been through many tornado warnings in the past, but never saw as much devastation as what Sunday’s EF-4 twister unleashed on her close-knit community. And seeing her neighbors' losses brings her to tears.
“I don’t think it can be rebuilt — not like it was,” Phillips said. “I think there will be some people who probably won’t be rebuilding.”
Jennifer Stover’s home was similarly spared. But she’s concerned about neighbors who lost everything.
ALABAMA TORNADO DEVASTATION SEEN IN DRONE VIDEO, VICTIMS RANGED IN AGE FROM 6 TO 93
“Honestly, it’s like being down at the beach for a hurricane and seeing all the devastation,” Stover said. “It wasn’t supposed to happen in our backyard.”
Despite the destruction, few residents are complaining about their own property losses. Ron Washington, who was inside his single-story Lee County home when extreme winds tore his roof off, credits prayer and God for keeping them alive.
“I don’t care about material things,” Washington said. “I’m just glad to be here.”
For Marine Corps veteran Gary Todd, who lost his mobile home in the storm, losing photos, military documents and mementos bothered him the most.
"A lot of stuff can be replaced, but a lot of stuff you can never get back,” Todd said. “Some of the things are just priceless."
At least 23 people died in Sunday’s storm. Lee County Coroner Bill Harris said authorities were able to visually identify all but six and hoped to use fingerprints to make positive IDs on the others.
Friends in eastern Alabama are helping tornado survivors retrieve the scattered pieces of their lives after devastating winds destroyed their homes and killed at least 23 people. (Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser via AP)
“We believe we know who these individuals are,” Harris said at a Monday news conference. “We’ve talked with the families and, as of 12 noon today, I have none reported to me as still missing. I believe we have everybody.”
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On its Facebook page, Lee-Scott Academy has identified one of the victims as fourth-grade student Taylor Thornton. Friends and neighbors have set up a GoFundMe site to help the family with funeral costs and other expenses. By Tuesday morning, the grassroots campaign had already raised more than $30,000.
Fox News’ Madelin Fuerste, Emilie Ikeda, David Lewkowict and Charles Watson contributed to this report.
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