27 April 2023
ANDOVER, Kan. (KSNW) — It’s been nearly a year since an EF-3 tornado went through the city of Andover on April 29, 2022.
Ally Kaylor and her family lost their house that night and have been in the process of rebuilding it ever since.
Kaylor still remembers the night of the tornado. She says she was sitting downstairs when the tornado warning notification alerted her.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Kaylor said. “So I ran up here to see if it was really happening, and I looked out the back door, and I saw it coming right at us.”
She says she immediately ran to get her 6-month-old son.
“His crib was right here, so I just swooped him up, took him and just ran downstairs,” Kaylor said.
Once in the basement, Kaylor and her son went under a counter. The tornado would hit within minutes of them doing so.
“Seeing the destruction kind of took my breath away,” Kaylor said. “I couldn’t, you know, you’re in a state of shock, and I couldn’t really believe what had happened.”
The Kaylor family’s home was destroyed, as well as the local YMCA where Ally worked at.
“I didn’t know anybody, and I started working at the Y, and so all the relationships I have really here in Andover through the Y seeing it destroyed and then seeing my house destroyed. It just kind of felt. I felt very empty and alone,” Kaylor said.
Kaylor says support and prayers kept her going.
“In a time where it’s extremely sad, and there’s a lot of heartache, you see a lot of good in people,” Kaylor said.
The last year has taught her resilience.
“Just put one foot in front of the other no matter what comes our way,” Kaylor said.