HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – One year after an EF-2 tornado tore through the Killingsworth Cove community, some residents are still working to return to normalcy.
The storm on May 20, 2025, leveled homes and destroyed property. Many community members have rebuilt, but others still havent.
Dusty Gipson has lived in Killingsworth Cove his whole life. He said nothing could have prepared him for that night.
“It was just a normal night for us as a family. I came in from work. Cooking supper. Me and my wife were having conversations, you know, having some laughs,” Gipson said.
Gipson said he was watching meteorologist Brad Travis when the tone changed.
“We heard Brad Travis kind of, he kind of gasped. His whole tone of voice changed. And he said, he said, man, this is this is bad. He’s like, people need to start taking cover. And then he called our community specifically,” Gipson said.
The Gipson’s went to the community shelter to wait out the storm. Gipson said he could hear debris hitting the outside walls as they waited for the storm to pass.
When it was over, the home he built was destroyed.
One full year later, the property remains a flat plot of land.
“You know, it’s still, it’s still very raw for us. Still a lot of emotions surrounding it. It’s, it’s like, it’s like grief. It’s like losing someone you love, you know,” Gipson said.
Gipson said life must go on. The family has been staying in a rental home to get back to normal, but he said he misses his neighbors and living in the community he grew up in.
“When you’re knocked down, you’ve, you’ve only got two choices. Either stay down or get up. And, and we’ve never been quitters. Um, so we’re up for a challenge. Enjoy hard work. Um, you know, that’s all we’ve ever known. That’s all we’ve ever done and that’s, that’s all we’ll ever do. So, uh, we are very excited to get started back soon and very excited to, to come back home,” Gipson said.
Gipson said they plan to rebuild soon. He said he wants to thank everyone who supported his family through the storm.
“I hope none of us ever, ever experience it ever again. But I hope in the event that it does, that we’re able to, to, our family is able to show, you know, that love and, and that help that, that we were, that we received through this,” Gipson said.
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