SHERWOOD, Ark — The Sherwood community is continuing to recover from the March 2023 tornado, but Mayor Mary Jo Heye-Townsell said they've made significant progress.
"What is showed is how strong and resilient our community is," Heye-Townsell said. "How much they care for one another."
The city's recovery efforts show that resilience. Jacqulyn Sexton's mother, Rose Sexton, suffered heavy damage to her house after the tornado on March 31, 2023, and Jacqulyn Sexton said her mom is lucky to be alive.
"I don't really know any words...I mean, it's a God thing," Jacqulyn Sexton said. "This is the closet she was in, and she was literally hanging on for dear life."
The entire roof of the bedroom right next to the closet was ripped off, leaving behind a big mess, but they were able to save a few special items from Jacqulyn Sexton's brother and late father.
"My father passed away [on] March 8, 2021, and he is a retired veteran... Vietnam War [and] Korean War," Jacqulyn Sexton said.
Rose Sexton displayed his folded flag and ashes on the dresser in the bedroom that had lost its roof, along with her son's coins from the military.
"I didn't even touch them," Rose Sexton said. "They were still standing... all four of them still standing in the crevice of the dresser."
A year later, there's still a lot of emotions.
"Anybody who came to help, I want to pay them back," Rose Sexton said. "But I don't know how.".
Heye-Townsell said the city and multiple volunteer organizations immediately began cleaning up after the EF-3 tornado struck Sherwood.
"We have a couple of homes still dealing with some structural issues," Heye-Townsell said. "Some people are still struggling with some insurance problems, but for the most part... we are well on our way."
The mayor said the tornado impacted more than 200 homes in the city. Above all, she's grateful nobody lost their life.