What started as a peaceful spring day in the West Omaha suburbs ended in stark contrast. Just as schools began to dismiss for the day and children made their way home, the foreboding sound of tornado sirens pierced the darkening skies. Parents scrambled to collect their children, while many schools had students shelter in place. What unfolded over the next hour would forever change the landscape of the community.
The storm, which left a 31-mile path of destruction, tracked through southwest Douglas County, through Waterloo, Elkhorn, Bennington and north to the south side of Blair before dissipating. Wind speeds clocked at 170 mph, rating the storm an EF-4 tornado.
Stories of loss flooded in—devastation, destruction—but miraculously, no loss of life. Amid the destruction, stories of resilience, service, and unwavering community spirit emerged, powerfully reflecting the heart of Nebraska.
Elkhorn resident Ashley Teepell’s voice trembled as she recalled the day that forever changed her family’s life. “I saw the funnel… it kept getting bigger,” she said, describing the chaos that drove her, her husband, and their three small children into a stairwell closet, huddling under a crib mattress. Glass shattered, and “you could literally feel the air being sucked out of the house,” Teepell recalled.
Not far from where Teepell’s family sheltered, the storm leveled Rocky’s Stone + Design—just two years after Jacob Michalski bought the business and started building his dream.
“Everything I’d worked so hard for was crumbled in front of me,” Michalski said. Off-site during the storm, he rushed over after receiving a call from supervisor Keith Fobert, who reported the devastation. Together, they began to unearth loaders from the rubble.
Just west of Elkhorn at Sycamore Farms, home of the beloved semiannual Junkstock festival, the farm took a direct hit just days before the festival was set to kick off. In a stroke of luck, the festival had pushed its opening weekend back for the first time ever, preventing what would have been hundreds of festivalgoers from being caught in the storm.
Sara Alexander, founder of Junkstock, said, “It was devastating to see our 123-year-old farm torn apart. Historic trees are gone and nostalgic pieces of the festival were destroyed.”
Neighbors United
As the tornado tore into the neighborhood across from his workplace and church, Cory Nelson, director of impact ministries at Relevant Community Church, sat in his living room watching the news. He knew the need would be great. After a phone call with partners from Omaha Rapid Response, he arrived that Friday night at Relevant Community Church to assess the damage and get to work.
Nelson described the overwhelming community efforts. Partnering with Omaha Rapid Response, he noted that “close to a thousand responses” came in via digital volunteer forms overnight. By Saturday, more than 2,000 volunteers arrived on-site with equipment, ready to assist.
That Friday afternoon, Shannon Mauser-Suing, mission coordinator for Bethany Lutheran Church, watched from her home as tornadoes ravaged Elkhorn and the surrounding areas.
“It was shocking how long they lasted,” she said.
Initially unsure of Bethany’s role, she and the church community mobilized after Hot Meals USA called, offering to serve. “We had the space. We had the resources,” she said. With help from St. Patrick’s Parish and local businesses, Bethany Lutheran fed families for weeks.
A Community Strengthened
“It made me really appreciate the community we live in,” Nelson said, reflecting on the outpouring of support. Relevant Community Church served as a command center for a week before transitioning efforts to COPE and other organizations. “I feel like our community is better after this tornado,” he said.
St. Patrick’s Parish helped coordinate volunteers by leveraging a pre-existing online form developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which became an invaluable data collection tool. Flyers with QR codes assured residents the help they needed was available.
More than 250 parishioners mobilized within days, forming a case management team that assisted neighbors with needs ranging from housing to clothing—even delivering an air fryer to a woman who had lost everything and longed for a small comfort.
For Mauser-Suing, a highlight was creating a safe space for those in need.
“Guards dropped,” she said, as people connected. She reflected on the partnership between Bethany Lutheran, other organizations, and community members working together to support their neighbors.
“I would stand in the middle of it and think, I can feel this heartbeat that doesn’t exist anywhere else. And when I look back, we were all pulling together. No one was pulling in a different direction. We all had the same rope, and we were all pulling the same weight.”
The Spirit of Elkhorn
Michalski was overwhelmed by the support he received the day after the tornado demolished his stone yard. More than 100 volunteers arrived to help clear debris. Despite setbacks, including looting, fuel spills and flooding, he relocated to 192nd and Q streets and opened a retail store. “Everyone was so supportive, wanting to help us,” he said. “Through it all, I believe God had a bigger plan, and where I am now is exactly where He wants me to be.”
Faced with the possibility of having to cancel or postpone Junkstock, Alexander said, “In true Nebraska fashion, we had so many people show up, many of whom we’d never met. They showed up and wrapped their arms around us and set us back on our feet.”
Junkstock went off as planned the following weekend, thanks to the support of neighbors, coaches, teachers and athletes from local schools who came out and worked tirelessly to clear the farm, ensuring it was safe and ready to welcome festival-goers with what would be some much-needed joy.
“The tornado made Elkhorn stronger, or maybe better,” Teepell said. “Everybody was going through it together.” After nine months in a rental with their golden retriever, the Teepell family is finally back home. Community support—gift cards, clothes, and the kindness of strangers—transformed her. “The tornado is one of the best things that happened to me,” she admitted. “God used it to radically transform my heart.”
Elkhorn’s resilience shines through the wreckage of that fateful day. It is a city united in strength and compassion. From volunteers clearing debris to neighbors donating clothes, stories like Michalski’s rebuilt business, Alexander’s farm and festival forging ahead and Teepell’s transformed family, highlight what makes Elkhorn special.
“The blessings were way too many to comprehend,” Michalski said, reflecting a shared sentiment.
Recovery continues today as nonprofits such as COPE address insurance delays and rebuilding efforts. But community organizations, churches, nonprofits, and neighbors aren’t just rebuilding houses—they’re restoring homes and families.
“I’m just happy to be home,” Teepell said—a reminder that from devastation, a stronger city emerges.
Glass shattered, and you could literally feel the air being sucked out of the house.
We were all pulling together. We all had the same rope, and were all pulling the same weight.