Nicole Lambert returned to her Northridge home Monday afternoon, two weeks after it was destroyed in a tornado."It is very emotional. I'm at that point now where I'm just, like, in shock," Lambert said.She pointed to what was her 3-year-old daughter's bedroom.It's gone."By the time I could run up there and get my daughter, the roof was already blowing off," Lambert said. "Me, my daughter and my grandmother, in the nick of time, made it right here in the pantry."Together they hid in a small nook in the kitchen and held tightly to the door knob."I couldn't even imagine what would have happened if that would have ripped off, because it was just sucking everything like a vacuum," Lambert said.They survived the storm, but it tore Lambert's world to pieces."The floor is actually a foot off the foundation," Lambert said. "I put my soul into this. It was literally my daughter and mine sanctuary and, now, I'm just worried. What do you do?" Lambert said.Lambert is a single mom who is raising her daughter, Allyson, and caring for her grandmother who had been living with them since she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer."She is in remission right now, but I do take care of her too, so it is beyond rough," Lambert said.To make matters worse, Lambert bought the foreclosed home three years ago and was told she had to fix the roof before it could be insured. The roof was next on her list."You start to lose hope, ya know," Lambert said.Thankfully, volunteers --including a group from the West Central Juvenile Rehabilitation Center in Toledo -- have helped her clear debris."They have no clothes nothing," said volunteer Shannon KaufmanKaufman's group promised to help care for Lambert's daughter."She wants an alligator, so she will have an alligator toy," Kaufman said.Small gestures like that make this difficult time a little easier, but for Lambert, the big picture is up in the air."It's not really getting easier," Lambert said.On the other side of town, Danette Marshall is also dealing with devastation. Each car on her family's car lot looks like it was in a demolition derby."They're all totaled, mangled," Marshall said.And they're no longer for sale."When you lose your job, it's a hit. Not only did we lose one, we lost three," Marshall said.Her family owns Bailey Ray Enterprises. Their car dealership, a detailing business and their food truck were destroyed."It's hard on a daily basis. I could start crying now," Marshall said.Marshall and her husband live in Trotwood. Their home was also damaged in the twister.The mother of two -- with a third on the way -- said her family is beside themselves. Not everything was insured.Lambert's home and Marshall's business were two of 1,800 structures assessed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency last week. "Of those 1,800, we have about 500 that appear to be totally destroyed," Gov. Mike DeWine said.DeWine said he will be sending FEMA a 30-page letter Tuesday asking for federal assistance for people affected.FEMA and the Trump administration will then determine if it will be granted.
Nicole Lambert returned to her Northridge home Monday afternoon, two weeks after it was destroyed in a tornado.
"It is very emotional. I'm at that point now where I'm just, like, in shock," Lambert said.
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She pointed to what was her 3-year-old daughter's bedroom.
It's gone.
"By the time I could run up there and get my daughter, the roof was already blowing off," Lambert said. "Me, my daughter and my grandmother, in the nick of time, made it right here in the pantry."
Together they hid in a small nook in the kitchen and held tightly to the door knob.
"I couldn't even imagine what would have happened if that would have ripped off, because it was just sucking everything like a vacuum," Lambert said.
They survived the storm, but it tore Lambert's world to pieces.
"The floor is actually a foot off the foundation," Lambert said. "I put my soul into this. It was literally my daughter and mine sanctuary and, now, I'm just worried. What do you do?" Lambert said.
Lambert is a single mom who is raising her daughter, Allyson, and caring for her grandmother who had been living with them since she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
"She is in remission right now, but I do take care of her too, so it is beyond rough," Lambert said.
To make matters worse, Lambert bought the foreclosed home three years ago and was told she had to fix the roof before it could be insured. The roof was next on her list.
"You start to lose hope, ya know," Lambert said.
Thankfully, volunteers --including a group from the West Central Juvenile Rehabilitation Center in Toledo -- have helped her clear debris.
"They have no clothes nothing," said volunteer Shannon Kaufman
Kaufman's group promised to help care for Lambert's daughter.
"She wants an alligator, so she will have an alligator toy," Kaufman said.
Small gestures like that make this difficult time a little easier, but for Lambert, the big picture is up in the air.
"It's not really getting easier," Lambert said.
On the other side of town, Danette Marshall is also dealing with devastation. Each car on her family's car lot looks like it was in a demolition derby.
"They're all totaled, mangled," Marshall said.
And they're no longer for sale.
"When you lose your job, it's a hit. Not only did we lose one, we lost three," Marshall said.
Her family owns Bailey Ray Enterprises. Their car dealership, a detailing business and their food truck were destroyed.
"It's hard on a daily basis. I could start crying now," Marshall said.
Marshall and her husband live in Trotwood. Their home was also damaged in the twister.
The mother of two -- with a third on the way -- said her family is beside themselves. Not everything was insured.
Lambert's home and Marshall's business were two of 1,800 structures assessed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency last week.
"Of those 1,800, we have about 500 that appear to be totally destroyed," Gov. Mike DeWine said.
DeWine said he will be sending FEMA a 30-page letter Tuesday asking for federal assistance for people affected.
FEMA and the Trump administration will then determine if it will be granted.
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