Remembering the Linwood tornado 6 years later

LINWOOD, Kan. (KCTV) - Wednesday marks six years since a devastating tornado ripped through small communities like Linwood, Kansas.

The EF-4 tornado stretched a mile wide and left some communities torn and shaken.

It’s a sight and sound that folks in Douglas and Leavenworth counties will never forget.

“They said there were going to be storms, but it was a beautiful day,” said Karen Pendleton, the owner of Pendleton’s Kaw Valley Country Market.

“It was a beautiful sunny day most of the day, so I didn’t think anything of it,” said Mark Illausky, the owner of Free State Growers.

You wouldn’t be able to tell now what these communities went through, but videos and memories tell a very different story.

“What I remember is just complete devastation. Everything was completely wiped out,” said Illausky.

Illausky’s business was completely destroyed and he said it’s still difficult to think about to this day.

“I think we as a company kind of put it farther and farther out of our minds,” he said.

He said they were able to build back, smaller, but are much more efficient now.

“We look at it as a bit of a blessing that we were able to come out of it strong and were still here and doing business with our customers,” said Illausky.

“It looked like a giant spaceship with just black and it was just a huge rain shaft down below,” said Pendleton.

Karen and her husband run Pendleton’s Kaw Valley Country market in Lawrence. She remembers that day vividly.

“When you’re going through something traumatic, it’s always fresh in your mind,” said Pendleton.

Their business was also badly hit, and they also decided to rebuild.

“An attached greenhouse to the side was torn up and a greenhouse just outside from here was smashed,” described Pendleton, “We lost five out of seven greenhouses.”

Both Mark and Karen said the one thing they remember the most that day though, was the outpouring of support and help from the community.

“It was so devastating, yet the next day everyone showed up. we had customers show up, employees show up, they just wanted to help,” explained Illausky.

“You just have to feel lucky that we survived and so many people were in the same boat as us, people came out and really helped us,” said Pendleton.

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