SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— Two years ago today, a devastating EF-3 tornado struck the Wabash Valley, taking the lives of multiple residents and leaving a pile of destruction for those who remained to clean it up.
WTWO sent our own Brayton Riley to Sullivan to speak to residents and officials about how this tragic event reshaped the community. One resident Riley spoke to said that day in 2023 changed their lives forever, and the aftermath is still something they deal with to this day.
“Everybody in the community is now scared” said Dee Fulford, resident of Sullivan.
Dee and Pat Fulford are two of the many residents of Sullivan that lost their home to a devastating tornado that tore through Sullivan on March 31, 2023. Fulford said after 2 years, her fear of storms still lingers.
“I have never really been scared of storms,” Fulford said. “I’ve never really liked wind, but now I’m petrified by it. I’ve spent a lot of time in our storm shelter even when there is not anything urgent around us. It just gives me comfort.”
It was a storm that destroyed lives and transformed a community.
“It changed a lot of people that day, and I think for the whole community, it changed us,” said Fulford. “It wasn’t just those of us that lost our homes or were in it. The whole community is scared now of storms, and rightfully so.”
When severe weather alerts name Sullivan, like they did this week Mayor J.D. Wilson said he thinks about what local people are going through.
“Personally, my heart feels for the ones that were directly impacted by that tornado 2 years ago because I know the PTSD,” said Wilson. “I know the thoughts and how nervous and how mind-racking that it can be for the ones that experienced. I feel for those folks. I just wish I could give them some calm and peace of mind, but I understand that they made it through a hard night two years ago.”
Even though the tornado changed the community, Fulford said that didn’t stop them from stepping up and helping those in need after the storm.
“I can’t say enough about this community and the rallying they did with all of us,” said Fulford. “It’s very important to have friends and family but strangers that step up, other community members that step up. its just… there’s nothing like it. This town and county has a very close knit group of people in it. While it’s been a lot of trauma to us, it’s also been, we have had a lot of blessings in our way and I’m trying to remember the blessings, rather than the trauma and things we lost.”
As you can see, people are still struggling in Sullivan. And unfortunately, their struggles are not over, and severe weather is once again anticipated for Wednesday.
