THREE RIVERS, Mich. — Families and businesses in Three Rivers are preparing for another round of severe weather Tuesday, just four days after a tornado tore through the community. It leaves behind damaged roofs, collapsed buildings, and rattled nerves.
For Desire Patten, the timing of a recent roof repair felt like a miracle. The tornado that struck Friday ripped the roof completely off her niece's home, where her niece and three children were inside at the time.
"I was screaming her name. I seen that the whole roof was gone and I thought it took her and the three kids," Patten said.
The roof was replaced before Tuesday's approaching storms, thanks to a community effort.
"The owner of Sand Lake Party Store Shawn Fabian and his crew came and just got it finished," Patten said.
"They did the work, to get the room for their for my niece and her three kids. So I'm very grateful," Patten said.
Across the street at Huddleson Lumber Company, the damage from Friday's tornado is also evident.
"This building completely collapsed. This long building there, that collapsed as well," Jerrud Huring of Huddleson Lumber Company said.
Now, with another storm system approaching, anxiety is running high across Three Rivers.
"Everybody's having high anxiety. High anxiety," Patten said.
Despite that anxiety, Huring said the business is as prepared as it can be heading into Tuesday's weather.
"We're ready for it. The building, the roof itself here took a pretty big hit. So that's all covered up, ready to go," Huring said.
For Patten, the boarded windows and new roof offer some comfort, but not enough to fully ease her nerves.
"I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm a little more at ease because the roof is up there and the windows are boarded up, but still I'm nervous," Patten said.
"PTSD, you know. Everything. It's a lot to deal with," Patten said.
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