CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A year after a tornado ripped through Clarksville, killing three people and injuring dozens, survivors and neighbors gathered Monday to remember the lives lost and honor those still recovering. The vigil held on the anniversary of the storm took place in West Creek Farms neighborhood with residents, local leaders and volunteers participating.
“I have been moved tonight, seeing the gathering of people who have come together for a time of remembrance for the lives lost,” said Stephanie Jenkins, executive assistant to Mayor Joe Pitts. “Grief is a process, and as we grieve as a community; we get better day by day.”
Jenkins shared how she took shelter in her basement during the storm, feeling anxious about what was happening around her. “It was a blessing that we didn’t lose more people than we did. So tonight’s event was encouraging to me and just therapeutic,” she said.
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Kristina Munoz, who lives nearby, was one of the organizers of the event. “Tonight is really just about bringing the community together,” Munoz said. “We’ve been recovering for the last year, and tonight we’re honoring three of our neighbors who were killed in the tornado.”
Those who died in the storm were Arlan Coty, 10, Donna Allen, 59, and Stephen Kwaah Hayes, 34.
“It’s just about coming together, honoring them and celebrating the resiliency of the community,” Munoz said, adding that many people who survived are just now getting back into their homes.
Munoz also shared an update on plans to create a tribute to those lost in the tornado. “We’re working on planting a tree and installing a plaque in memory of those we lost,” she said. “It will be a lasting symbol of the strength and resiliency of our community,” she said.
Coming together
“I was amazed by how the community came out the next day,” said Jim Mintun, a resident whose house was damaged in the storm. “We had church people and first responders. … People came in droves to help clean up and get our lives back together,” he said.
Minton also talked about how the tornado changed his neighborhood. “We had our petty differences before the tornado, but afterward, all of that went away,” he said. “What matters is that people care for one another.”
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