Levi Novotny, a Fairdale resident and high school senior, did not expect to spend his Saturday digging through debris.
"I'm set to graduate in 30 days, and it's, I don't know, it's beyond words right now, really," Novotny said.
The Novotny family and other Fairdale residents got an up-close look at the tornado's damage for the first time on Saturday. Novotny said the shell of his house remained mostly intact, but others were not as lucky.
Two members of the small farming community were killed in Thursday's tornado. Friends and neighbors Geraldine "Geri" Schultz, 67, and Jacklyn Klosa, 69, both died in the storm, and nearly a dozen more people were injured.
Residents in Fairdale -- and nearby Rochelle, which was also hit hard by the tornado -- have vowed to rebuild their towns, despite the heartbreak caused by the storm.
"I just looked up and the whole house just took off flying," Kelly Newman, a resident of Rochelle, said.
Newman and her family hid in the basement during the storm. When it was all over, their house and cars were gone.
On Saturday, more than 650 volunteers from across Illinois began the process of cleaning up in Rochelle. A charity called Operation Blessing is coordinating the volunteer effort.
"We were expecting 200 (volunteers), maybe a little more ... because we've worked in Harrisburg after the tornadoes, as well as in Washington, Ill. There's always a fantastic response," Dan Moore, of Operation Blessing, said.
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In the rubble, volunteers found Newman's wallet and ID, caked in mud but intact. Residents say it's the little things -- and the greater things -- that keep them going.
"You've got friends, family, the grace of God, and I'm just happy to be alive," Newman said.
