Day of Remembrance: Laurel County community remembers 19 lives lost in deadly tornado

LONDON, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) — One year after a deadly tornado tore through several counties in southeastern Kentucky, including Laurel County, hundreds gathered to remember those who lost their lives and everything they had on Saturday.

The tornado killed 19 people, 17 of whom were from Laurel County. Over 800 homes in the county were impacted, 280 of which were completely destroyed.

A remembrance ceremony was held at Wyan-Pine Elementary School in London Saturday morning, about a half mile from Sunshine Hills, a neighborhood heavily devastated by the tornado. Hundreds filled the gymnasium, where songs were sung, prayers were said, and survivors shared their stories from the night of the storm.

The event also took time to recognize people in the community who helped with recovery efforts, as Wyan-Pine Elementary served as a central hub for volunteers after the tornado. Recognized on Saturday were the volunteers, state and local road crews who helped with cleanup efforts, and companies that donated equipment to assist in the recovery.

Megan VanHook, a survivor, said the outpouring of support from the community has meant everything to her.

“I think it’s a privilege. I think it’s a privilege to have that support of your community of strangers to see, you know, in these times that we can come together and that there is hope… even on hard days,” VanHook said.