On April 9, 2015, 11 tornadoes touched down in Illinois. According to Candice King, First Warn Chief Meteorologist with WTVO-Rockford, seven out of the 11 tornadoes occurred in northern Illinois. The EF4 Fairdale tornado was the longest and most destructive. The tornado started in Franklin Grove and ended in Kirkland, traveling an astounding 30 miles.

“At its strongest point, NW of Rochelle, NW Hillcrest, they determined EF4 damage,” King said. “This was the first EF4 to occur in Illinois since two EF4 tornadoes back in 2013.”

STILL STANDING: Jim (left) and Todd stand in front of the family home that has stood strong for more than 150 years. While most of the physical damage is gone and new buildings stand in their place, the event changed them forever.

The Schabacker’s family farm was in the direct path of the Fairdale tornado at its peak strength. A year later, Prairie Farmer visited with Todd and Jim, at their operation northwest of Rochelle, to talk about the storm, their loss and the recovery.

What follows is a series of images that we think help us tell the story better than just using words. The storm did its dirty work, and yet the Schabackers found their way back. So read on to learn more about how they got back to where they are today.

IN THE PATH OF DESTRUCTION: This storm track shows the path of the Fairdale tornado and the Schabacker farm was right in line, hitting the farm at its peak. (Image courtesy of the National Weather Service.)

Forever changed - >>>

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FOREVER CHANGED: April 9, 2015, started like so many other spring days on the Schabacker family farm, pictured here prior to the storm. In the evening, Todd Schabacker dropped off his daughter for dance practice and his son for an FFA meeting. Earlier in the week, Todd had heard the storm warnings for northern Illinois. But, like so many people believe, “You never think too much of it, maybe a severe storm,” Todd said. As he pulled onto his parent’s home farm, where planters and tractors sat ready for spring planting, he saw the Fairdale EF4 tornado heading straight for them. Todd, his father, Jim and mother, Beverly, quickly sought shelter in the basement of the house. “We weren’t down there for 15 seconds when all heck broke loose,” Todd said. (Photo by the family.)

Moment in time - >>>

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MOMENT IN TIME: The family home, built in 1863, “creaked and cracked” as the tornado rumbled above. “It sounded like an explosion, but we think it was metal hitting something. The house was shaking,” said Jim. A few minutes later, Todd said he just had to go out and look. “It was knee buckling, everything was gone,” Todd remembered. “I watched it (the tornado) come and I watched it walk away.” (Photo by Ron Kern, Ogle County Farm Bureau.)

Devastation takes a barn - >>>

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DEVASTATION: Jim said the 70-year old barn built when he was a child was gone. Todd said the only thing left standing was the house. The house lost windows, siding and parts of the roof that all needed to be replaced, “But we were thankful, because Mom and Dad still had a place to lay their head,” Todd said. “It was livable.”

“It’s unbelievable what can happen in a few seconds,” Jim noted. “You hear about stuff like this on TV. We were very fortunate. And we went out and went right on with things. What else do you do?”

The Schabacker family lost ten buildings that day. The two structurally damaged silos were later demolished. (Photo by Ron Kern, Ogle County Farm Bureau.)

Help arrives - >>>

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HELP ARRIVES: Todd and Jim said more than 80 people came ready to haul debris, uncover mauled machinery and feed the helpers. “The debris field was huge,” Todd said. Cherry Hill, a subdivision of Rochelle, sits southwest of Schabacker’s farm. The 260 acres between Cherry Hill and Shabacker’s farm was covered with debris. Todd and Jim said shoes, teddy bears, appliances and other personal items traveled several hundred yards across the field. With plenty to pick up, they pulled flat beds into the field and started piles of found items. They also discovered two cars and a truck that didn’t belong to the family. (Photo by the Schabacker family.)

Time heals - >>>

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TIME HEALS: One year later, the bright red and white buildings and immaculate driveway, tell a new story. “There has to be a silver lining,” Todd said. He explained their insurance company, equipment dealer, car dealer and building manufacturer, all worked quickly to wipe the slate clean and then build, replace and restore.

“You look back and you wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, but it happened,” said Todd. “Every day last year, there was someone here doing something. If they weren’t pouring concrete or building a shed, or electricians or plumbers, or the Morton’s crew, it was just crazy.”

There are still reminders of the event here and there, “I just picked up a handful of nails today,” Jim said with a smile. “And we’re still picking up the barn.”

Pieces of the 70-year old barn live on. Salvaged wood from the barn was used for doors, sinks and mirror frames inside a new Morton building.

An ongoing tractor restoration - >>>

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ONE MORE TIME: “I restored them twice,” Jim laughed as he looked around at his recovered antique tractors. Although this JD 1020 is back to a shiny John Deere green, even a tractor can have scars. Jim pointed out wind damage bumps you can feel by running fingers over the tractor. His four antique tractors were stored in a building that collapsed, but the dents and scratches were fixable.

Unfortunately, the other machinery, such as planters, tractors, corn heads, sprayers and a grain wagon all suffered significant damage. The corn head was twisted in several directions, the sprayer was tangled beyond repair. Planting equipment, buried and impaled by building debris, was quickly recovered and rushed to a local dealer for repairs. Several families offered help for spring planting, but the Schabackers were able to get their 2015 crop in as planned.

Always remember - >>>

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ALWAYS REMEMBER: A flag that once flew above Schabacker Farms now hangs carefully inside a new Morton building. After the storm, the flag was picked up and folded by complete strangers for safe keeping. To this day, the Schabackers don’t know who the two gentlemen were who stopped and rescued and the flag. The Schabacker’s neighbor captured a photo of the rescuers, but they’ve never been identified.

A collection restored - >>>

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COLLECTION RESTORED: Jim said he didn’t lose any antique tractors, big or small, in the tornado. He created this collection before the storm and they turned up in one of the several recovered items boxes. Not everything on the farm was recovered or restored. Jim and Todd noted two new vehicles, both crushed by fallen buildings, were a total loss. “There was a piece of wood that went right through a metal bumper and drove right into the van,” said Todd. “We saw a lot of that.”

Still standing - >>>

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STILL STANDING: Jim (left) and Todd stand in front of the family home that has stood strong for more than 150 years. While most of the physical damage is gone and new buildings stand in their place, the event changed them forever. “Now, when my phone goes off, the hair stands up on the back of my neck and my heart starts beating faster,” Todd noted.

Their advice for others: “Heed the warnings,” said Todd. “And there’s not a lot you can do besides listen to the weather”.

“And I don’t complain about insurance anymore.”

After everything they’ve been through over the last year, they still believe they had luck on their side and a little help from above.

“Look at us, we were probably 20 feet from where it took the buildings and it missed the house. It took the car, garage, everything right outside the door,” said Jim. “We were darn fortunate and we feel blessed.”

Jim and Todd look forward to a “normal” planting season this year. They remain grateful for the support who quickly worked to get them up and running last year.

“If you didn’t have that support mechanism around you, and people showing up, I don’t know how we would have done it,” Todd said. “God was looking out for us after the fact.”