Kankakee begins recovery after EF-3 tornado strikes: 'It was really scary'

Family grateful they made it out 'unharmed' after tornado rips through Kankakee

The Weather Service called this one extremely dangerous.  We know at least nine people were injured. Homes and businesses took some serious hits, and power’s still out for a lot of folks.  Today, we’re getting our first real look at the damage. Kasey Chronis is out there.

KANKAKEE - The National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday that an EF-3 tornado tore through Kankakee with 150 mph winds, leaving widespread destruction.

Nine people suffered minor injuries in Kankakee County, but thankfully, no one was killed.

Now, community members are just beginning to clean up — leaning on one another as they move forward. 

What we know:

For some families in Kankakee, the damage is immeasurable. On the southeast side of town, near Waldron Arboretum, several houses were leveled.

"The first thing that I noticed was the glass in the window well shattering. That's when I kind of realized this was a bad one," said Mitchell Gerth, whose parents' home was destroyed. "It's just hard to explain, I guess. I mean, the house falling in, there's a lot of noises. Hard to kind of articulate."

Pieces of the home, appliances, and even a child's shoe were scattered across the area on Wednesday. 

Mitchell and his wife, Abigail, were over for dinner when the weather began to turn, so they hunkered down in the basement with their two little ones. 

"With the babies, it was really scary just not knowing if we were going to make it out," said Abigail Gerth. 

"The stairwell was completely caved in; we were able to climb out of the window well in the back," Mitchell Gerth added. 

The Gerths say what matters most is that everyone made it out safely. 

"For a community for something like this to happen in, we know this is a strong enough one to come together and get through it," Mitchell Gerth said. 

Nearby, on Island View Lane and Waldron Road, massive, decades-old trees were ripped from the ground.

Helpers — like Tyler Stark who owns a local restoration business — were doing their part. 

"We're trying to get all the hands we can, and less about generating business and more about helping people. We live in Kankakee County, my kids go to school here, so we're just trying to help as much as we can with what's going on. it's a lot," Stark, who owns Big Country Cleanup and Restoration, said. 

South of downtown Kankakee near the South-Tec Development Corporation, several buildings including some belonging to Tholen's Landscape and Garden Center, were torn apart.

There, ComEd crews were working line by line.

"Over 200 poles were damaged last night," reported Gil Quiniones, president & CEO of ComEd. 

Quiniones says this will continue to be all-hands-on-deck until the lights are back on, marking one step in a long recovery still ahead for the community.

"We surge all of our line workers from different parts of our service territory. There are over 1,100 line workers working, about 900 right here in Kankakee and Aroma Park," Quiniones said. "Our commitment is to see this through with them as their partners and we will work 24/7, our line workers, to restore the power here."

What's next:

Members of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) will remain in the area assessing damage alongside the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the National Weather Service.

Community members can visit Kankakee Community College, located at 100 College Drive, for temporary shelter, meals, or to connect with resources provided by the American Red Cross. If you or someone you know needs assistance, you can also call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Meanwhile, at Grace Baptist Church, located at 2499 Waldron Road, there are charging stations available, along with snacks, water, and cleanup supplies provided by Home Depot, Lowes, and Our Home.

Residents who want to support the recovery effort by donating supplies can drop items off at Shine FM, 450 South Main Street in Bourbonnais.

Businesses that want to offer donations should contact Angela at the Kankakee County Emergency Management Agency by emailing abuzas@kankakeecountyil.gov.

The Kankakee County Emergency Management Agency has also created a self-assessment survey for area residents to report damage from the storms.