The tornado that swept through DuPage County the previous year, causing destruction to hundreds of homes and wounding several people, had a significant impact on several localities. Residents have reported that they are still struggling to recover from the effects of the calamity.
On Monday, at the local time of 10:00 am, there will be a moment of silence held throughout the community of Woodridge in honor of the first anniversary of the storm.
On June 20, 2022, Mayor Gina Cunningham and the Board of Trustees proclaimed that day to be “Woodridge Strong Day.”
“Recognize and convey gratitude for the generosity of the various organizations, businesses, and volunteers who give their time, labor, and compassion to the town following the tragic June 2021 EF-3 tornado,” says the village.
It was barely a few minutes after midnight when the EF-3 tornado with speeds of 140 miles per hour made the touchdown. For more than 20 minutes, it floated in the air the earth, causing damage to more than 200 homes. Both the community of Naperville and the community of Woodridge sustained significant damage.
Eleven persons were injured, but no one lost their life as a result of the incident.
One year after the storm, many individuals are still suffering the impacts, particularly those whose houses were damaged and who are still battling insurance companies for assistance with repairs. This is particularly true for those whose houses were damaged.
Homeowner Sandra Wilhoit from Downers Grove stated, “My battle continues to be the roof.”
Wilhoit believes that the reason her insurance claims were denied was that the insurance company assumed the damage was brought on by a lack of maintenance rather than a storm.
Many others are similar to her.
“They [State Farm] look at it from the perspective of, ‘Well, we’ll give you $68 to fix your front door,'” Alana Radwan said. “I can’t even get someone to look at it in my house since it costs $68 a pop,” she said.
Officials from the state have also been contacted for assistance by worried locals. There have been at least ten reports of problems filed with the Illinois Insurance Department.