Diamond, Ill. Rebuilds One Year After Devastating Tornado
(CBS) -- Today, the town of Diamond, Illinois, 60 miles southwest of Chicago, looks like an idyllic community with new homes, green lawns and swimming pools, but it looked anything but nice one year ago.
A powerful tornado leveled the town just after hitting Washington, damaging hundreds of homes. CBS 2's Susanna Song revisits one family, one year later.
One step at a time, the Elliots have reached the final stages of rebuilding and are almost move-in ready. Song met the Elliots last year when their Diamond home was one of five destroyed by the tornado.
When the tornado hit Diamond and Coal City one year ago, 220 homes were damaged. There have been drastic improvements and in one hard-hit neighborhood, there appears to be only one house under construction.
Mayor Teresa Kerc said residents built bigger and better, with more brick, stone and colors.
Jennifer Elliot says the one item lost that she wished she could have back would be a grandfather clock belonging to her husband's grandpa.
"It was the one thing we had that is not replaceable," she said.