WINTERSET, Iowa — There wasn't an empty pew in New Bridge Church on March 5, 2023 as Dio Ayala, director of Madison County Emergency Management, read off the names of the victims of an EF-4 tornado that devastated the town exactly one year ago.
But Ayala wasn't the only person to take the stage. Family members of the victims spoke out on the sharing what the support of Madison County natives meant to them.
"We were overwhelmed at the amount of donations available to all of the tornado victims. Not to mention how kind and welcoming every person we talked to was," said Stephanie Craig, whose aunt Cecilia Lloyd was killed in the tornado.
Judy Clark also shared her memories; her husband, Rod, was killed in the tornado while trying to protect her.
"A heartfelt thank you again, Madison County, for taking care of all of us that were in this tornado. Not just me, all of us," Clark said.
But despite the circumstances, the vigil wasn't totally a somber one. There was plenty of kindness and gratitude to go around as the town's residents continue to push forward.
"Thank you to all of the first responders, thank you to all of the volunteers, thank you to everyone who donated. Thank you to everyone who prayed. Thank you to everyone who shared kind words. And most of all, thank you for being Madison County strong," Craig said.