NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s hard to believe, but five years ago, parts of Middle Tennessee looked very different.
Eight tornados in all ravaged the mid-state, cutting paths of destruction through neighborhoods in Nashville, Wilson County, Putnam County and other communities. After the storms passed, though, those most affected saw that the “Volunteer State” wasn’t just a nickname.
Total strangers came together to help those in need. News 2 has taken time to remember the incredible acts of kindness, the resilience of community and the 25 lives lost in the 2020 storm.
Some of the 911 calls from March 2020 revealed the terror and chaos that unfolded throughout the night.
“Help! I’m under the Jefferson Street Bridge,” one caller told a dispatcher. “…Tornado came through and got us. I’m buried under a bunch of rubble! Help!”
The call serves as a reminder of what many still remember — a dark night in more ways than one.
“People were walking down the streets — there were no lights,” Tequila Johnson with the TN Equity Alliance told News 2. “People were confused. A lot of people didn’t know what happened and there were literally people who lost their entire home.”
When daylight broke, the damage didn’t get any better.
“When it comes to Five Points where we live at — we live here, we shop here. Man, it’s hard to see,” Twan Palmer said in a 2020 interview with News 2. “It’s going to take a minute to rebuild our neighborhood.”
As many families held tightly to one another in their houses, homes were were reduced to rubble within hours.
“I’m so grateful for whatever was looking out for me, ’cause I wouldn’t be here without it,” Amanda Randolph said in 2020.
“It’s really not until you experience something like a tornado and you’re looking at all of your belongings and you have nothing that you realize, sometimes, all you have is community,” Johnson said. “I was so proud to be a Nashvillian.”
Johnson was part of a group of people who sprang into action following the tornadoes. Not only was lending a hand in the clean-up efforts a priority, but so was focusing on preserving the area known as North Nashville.
She recalled developers assessing land to buy from longtime owners and renters as families picked through debris.
“In that moment, we realized that someone had to make sure that the community was okay and that people were given options and that they weren’t forced to move or forced to find a different home because of disaster, but that they understood what their options were,” Johnson added.
While five years have passed, the impact of the 25 lives lost remains.
Don’t forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app.
