As the tornado crossed from Hewittsville into Taylorville, it weakened slightly. Several homes in the vicinity of West Waco Street suffered severely, having their roofs removed and, in some cases, an exterior wall or two knocked down. The twister maintained its intensity as it approached Illinois State Route 29, after which it weakened. Damage to home roofs was observed just north of State Route 29. A few poles were hit along County Highway 22 before the twister lifted, about 1/4 mile south of E 1600 North Road.
As a long-time Red Cross volunteer, Kathi Knope had toured the United States, helping with various natural disasters. In all her travels, she’d never imagined that she would have to set up shop in her own hometown, she told Southern Illinoisan on December 4, 2018. Kathi and her husband were initially skeptical when tornado warnings were issued, as it was December. But once she saw the hail on her front lawn, her instinct was to shelter in the basement. When the couple emerged from their safe place, they found that the garage had been shifted into the neighbor’s backyard. In the aftermath of the tornado, she was one of the volunteers out and ready to help her community.
While the tornado had devastating impacts on Hewittsville and Taylorville, thankfully, no fatalities occurred. Immediately following the storm, around 4,000 truckloads of trees and other debris were hauled away from the areas affected. Thirty homes were destroyed, and approximately 500 more were damaged in some capacity.
In the months following the tragic storm, the community of Taylorville came together to respond. Donations of food, clothing, and money poured in to help residents impacted by the twister. When describing the recovery efforts, Shirly Niethe, manager of the local Ace Hardware, told Herald and Review, “That’s just how Taylorville is,” in an April 28, 2019 article. Residents like Vickie Barker plan to rebuild. “We surely could’ve gotten another house, but this is my home.”
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