GREENFIELD, Iowa — Wednesday, Aug. 21 marked three months since an EF-4 tornado tore through the city of Greenfield and surrounding areas, leaving five people dead and dozens injured.
More than 150 homes were destroyed in Greenfield that day, but new foundations are popping up across the city as residents continue their road to recovery.
The memory of what once was is still fresh on the minds of Robin and Edith Schaecher.
"It was such a beautiful tree-lined street, driving down it," Edith said. "Now, all those trees are gone."
The tornado wreaked havoc on their home: personal belongings scattered, three of their cars destroyed and 47 years of precious memories gone in a flash.
"The downstairs was just a mess, and the whole second story was gone," Edith said. "15 seconds, your whole life can just be gone."
Three months have passed, but the effects of that day are still felt across the city. Even so, the focus for Robin and Edith is now on the future.
"I'm gonna have a sun room, and then they're gonna put a deck out from it," Edith said. "So I'll enjoy that, because I always had a lot of plants."
The Schaecher family's new home will stand in place of the one they lost. So far, contractors have only laid the foundation, but Robin and Edith are excited for what comes next.
"It's going to be beautiful and I'm going to be happy," Edith said.
Community and faith have kept the two women grounded during this trying time. Edith told Local 5 that being able to plan for the future is the greatest gift.
"You can't live in the past," Edith said. "...as long as you wake up each morning and it's another beautiful day, you just rejoice and be glad in that."