MIAMI COUNTY, Ohio (WDTN) – Thursday marks one month since 15 tornadoes touched down in the Miami Valley, devastating families throughout the area, leaving many homeless.
That is the case for many along S.R. 571 in Miami County, including Tim and Monica Stine, who lived in their house for 26 years and raised all four of their children.
“I think that’s probably been the toughest part,” said Monica Stine. “It’s been really tough on our kids, too, to come back and see it like this.”
Like many other families, they said for the past month and for the foreseeable future, they are calling the Holiday Inn in Tipp City home.
“We heard the comment, ‘It’d be neat to live in a hotel,’ and it is, until you have to,” said Tim Stine.
One month after the fact, 2 NEWS caught up with them as they surveyed what was left.
Tim said they were in the house when the tornado ripped it apart.
“We literally put our feet on the basement floor when our ears popped like we were going through the mountains,” said Tim.
The Stines said since that day, it has been an emotional roller coaster.
“You’re okay one minute because you’re just trying to stay strong,” said Monica. “Then it’s just like ‘Oh my gosh, we don’t have a house.'”
They said the biggest take-away from the incident is how much the community has rallied behind them and everyone else hit by the storm.
But that said, along with all of that good, they did have some tough experiences.
They now have up security cameras monitoring their house debris after noticing their rose bushes and flower beds were dug up by looters, and they did not stop there.
“Back in the master bedroom, they actually stole the pedestal sink, the toilet, the medicine cabinet, all three bedroom ceiling fans have been taken, they took doors,” said Tim.
He said they also hit his next door neighbor’s house, stealing a refrigerator, dishwasher, and washer and dryer.
But rather than dwell on that, the Stines are focused on the future and rebuilding right where it all started.
