♪ 3 years after deadly tornadoes barreled through Western Kentucky leaving 160 mile path of destruction in its wake.

Mayfield residents, our resolve to build back better charities and nonprofit organizations are still working to help families call a new place home.

Mayfield, Mayor Kathy on and talk with me earlier today about how folks realize the didn't know how much they love their hometown.

And so they nearly lost it and marking the 3 years since an EF 4 tornado claimed 2 dozen lives there and distort homes and businesses and then says the sober milestone also brings some good news.

>> It had some very good news.

In fact, for the last 2 years, just about as far as our rebuilding goes, it seems as if the first year we focused on debris removal, which that's the first step to get those lots.

All of the committee back down to where you can rebuild on them.

During that year.

Home construction began by the nonprofits have been so amazing.

We've had in over 200 homes built for the people here who lost their homes on that night.

And so that began the first year as well as some profit industry and businesses, local businesses rebuilding in the second year for us is the city government.

We begin our plans for an architect's work on our municipal buildings as we lost every one of those.

And so we have had a public works.

Man had moved on moving right now into their new facility.

The new fire station there doing the ground work on it as we speak, maybe foundation's being poured pretty soon.

And then we've had a groundbreaking on the city hall, a ceremonial one in the police station.

And we will we hope they are in construction by sometime next.

May.

We know that with the Jennifer's Surrey December 10 to even though you're celebrating some good news and rebuilding as we spoke about before we started recording.

>> There are lives that are forever shattered rides and that rebuilding and repair isn't possible with the lives that were lost.

And how how does the community rally during this time?

>> When I I think we draw an honor, sales were so supportive of these people.

And while throughout the year we're focused on rebuilding.

We're excited about the rebuilding.

But always foremost in our mind, are these families of the 24 we lost on that day 3 years ago.

we caught.

We stay in touch with them.

There was a Pilgrim's pride here headed the Memorial Walk again this year, we dedicated a new homes on Tuesday for 8 came ways to get in to get into nice new homes.

There.

So we do it while we celebrate those accomplishments on that day.

Never far on this week.

Are those 24 precious lives?

That is exciting.

As we get about rebuilding.

Those holes in those families will never be quite never be filled up as they should be.

Our town will feel with buildings, but their hearts will not fail to all over the last 90 pan.

When we were there a couple of years ago, one of the things we kept saying was the word hope you had that in your office and there were just these memorial notes with hope in big homemade signs.

It places that had been devastated.

Does that does that singular words still described?

>> Graves County Mayfield, it will start excuse me.

It most certainly does.

I think you saw here the middle signs of hope.

>> They were on the sidewalks around town, the one downtown in front of the bank is still there.

If you're around now for us for 3 years, we sent Iran that we say it every time we drive through town and that's what keeps us going it was a devastating loss.

But the rebuilding began.

The very next morning with the plans of people for for their hometown.

I think my despair early about the rebuilding and it didn't last very long was we've lost everything.

We also was there, the man, but because of hope and because of determination of the cause of the people who love their hometown, that wasn't going to stop them.

And the governor has said you're going to have a new town and I think 3 years down the road, we are certainly making strides in that direction.

And I think that 2025 or home downtown's going to be just a big construction mask.

A wonderful man us that's going to show that that we are certainly on this right path to recovery.

Earlier this week, there was a remembrance ceremony and dedication of a new homes in Mayfield.

As you heard, the mayor say.

>> The team, western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund raised more than 52 million dollars to help with the recovery efforts.

The National Weather Service says nearly 20 tornadoes touched down across Kentucky during the outbreak killing