LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Nearly a year after the March 31 tornado, one Little Rock business is reflecting on the day that changed their lives forever.
Billy Etter, director of the Bennett Davis Group, was outside repairing a shed behind his store when the tornado hit. A year later, he looked back on that day.
“It's been a year, so the emotions just came flooding back,” Etter said.
Michael Bennett, owner of Bennett David Group, said it was a day he would never forget.
“As soon as I walk into the house, so many memories come to mind,” Bennett said.
They were there when the tornado came straight at them. The two fled behind a concrete wall and everything happened in the blink of an eye.
“I didn't even have time to be scared,” Etter said.
Bennett recorded every scene as the wind pushed cars and other objects through the business's open garage door.
“I just grabbed my cell phone and took some video and you could see an EF-3 tornado,” Bennett said.
The face of their business forever changed in 20 seconds.
“It was really shocking to see the difference between where we were and what happened,” Bennett said.
This area once had hundreds of trees, but now there are only a few. The roof fell in and the metal was all messed up.
“The paint, the wallboard, this was once a beautiful banquet hall,” Bennett said.
Today, the building looks much the same as it did on March 31st.
“It was an absolute disaster,” Etter said.
The company has been working in temporary locations, but is finally returning to its original location.
“All the equipment, the building was gone, but the customers remained. So we think this is a clean start to the next 30 years,” Bennett said.
Bennett and Etter said they've learned lessons through this experience, and even as they've started over the past year, but through it all, they've found light in the darkness.
“It's a blessing that even in the midst of a storm, there's always a brighter day on the other side,” Etter said.
