LONDON, Ky. (WKYT) – A Laurel County family is moving into their rebuilt home Saturday, exactly one year after a tornado destroyed their previous house and killed 19 people across the county.
Larry Vanhook’s daughter and grandchildren lost their home in the May 15, 2025, tornado. They survived in the basement.
“Right there in that corner,” Vanhook said.
The family expected to move in around Christmas, but numerous delays pushed the completion date to the tornado’s one-year anniversary.
“And it wasn’t planned that way. That’s just the way it worked out,” Vanhook said.
The new home includes steel beams within the basement walls, with Bible verses written on them. Vanhook said the structure is safer and more modern than the previous home, which was built in the 1950s.
“Block versus poured walls with steel in it. Going to be stronger, the block probably did save my daughter and grandkids’ lives,” he said.
Laurel County emergency officials said 800 homes were damaged or destroyed in the tornado. Nearly every resident has moved from temporary travel trailers or hotel rooms to houses.
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