This weekend is the one year anniversary of the devastating tornado that hit Pulaski and Laurel counties.

The Crooked Creek subdivision in London was at the tail end of the tornado's path and sustained significant damage.

That neighborhood is home to State Senator Brandon Storm, who says it was devastating to see his community hurt by the natural disaster, but that London's long term recovery is going steady thanks to the resilience of his neighbors.

It came right over these hills here and dropped just, you know, a quarter of a mile away from where we're standing, if even that makes of a mile.

And it just devastated the homes that were up this road.

And we started getting reports, that night that there had been some fatalities.

We didn't know the extent of those.

And then as sunlight broke and I started getting updates, found out there was 19 people that were were killed that night.

And it was very tragic just to lose your friends and colleagues, people that, you know, you see them at restaurants, you've seen them at church, you know, things of that nature.

And so just community members.

I've know most of these people.

And then we had another, lady pass a few weeks later, and I knew her son and, knew her, actually, but I knew her son really well.

And it just, just very devastating on the community to see that many people lost at one time.

There's actually a gentleman that lives over here who, was a veteran, and it's an awesome story.

He, you know, heard and witnessed and felt the pressure and just all the windows in his home busted.

And, they after the tornado went through, they ran outside to check on their neighbors.

And there was some neighbors across the street that were actually trapped.

And so he was able to go over there and get them out of the home.

And so, you know, again, it's just resilience and people coming together and trying to help their neighbor live on their neighbor.

And that was an awesome story.

We had people from all over the place just pour in here, pour their love and their resources here, their manpower, their energy, their prayers.

And so the recovery effort was was amazing.

There was a lot of different companies here locally that, you know, told their employees, hey, don't go to work today to the shop or to your job, go to Sunshine Hills or go to Crooked Creek, or go to another area of the county and help those individuals.

There was churches that poured in here.

So that initial recovery effort was great.

It was very, powerful to see everybody coming together.

There's a place down here where, you know, home is still home is still vacant.

It's still, you know, just grass.

They chose not to, to move back.

And then next to them, I think those individuals decided, you know, what is too scary that night?

And they did not want to come back.

And so there's several homes there that have although they've been rebuilt, I don't think the initial homeowners that lived there that night are living there.

They've just decided that, I guess, that that was too traumatic for them to come back to the area.

The long term recovery has been steady.

Laurel county's resilient place, and we have all worked together just trying to make this a better place and, you know, love your neighbor.

And, you know, as you can see, as you drive through the the areas, a lot of people are trying to rebuild.

Some people are still struggling to be able to rebuild, but just seeing, you know, the group effort and people lending a helping hand to their neighbor, trying to make Laurel County a better place, it's just been awesome.

Laurel County is marking the one year anniversary of the tornado disaster with a Day of Remembrance ceremony.

It will take place at 11 a.m.

Eastern time at Wian Pine Elementary School Gymnasium in London.

The ceremony will honor all 19 victims who died in the disaster and recognize the first responders and volunteers who helped with recovery efforts.