KDJ_Stronger Together_042926

Where were you on March 10?

By MIKE URBANEC murbanec@shawmedia.com

For those who don’t follow the weather obsessively, or work for a newspaper where there’s a constant search for content, the National Weather Service puts out what’s called a service packet first thing in the morning.

It doesn’t go out every time it storms; the service packet only gets sent out on days when severe storms are in the forecast. They can usually be found at weather.gov/lot and often cover the days following as well.

So, the most foreboding message came on Monday, March 9, rather than Tuesday: Joe Schroeder, director of the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency, emailed the Morris Herald-News news tips email with a message in bold letters.

“If you have never paid any attention to these before, this should be the first one to pay attention to today!”

Now, to be fair, Schroeder probably meant something along the lines of –this is early in the season and the first non-snow-related packet sent out all year. He probably wasn’t making a prediction. Nonetheless, it was foreboding.

The Kankakee Daily Journal staff determined Monday morning that they should plan on working late Tuesday.

Reporter Lee Provost started his grill at around 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at his Kankakee home near Cobb Park. He said he knew there were storms in the forecast, so he wanted to get his fish grilled and eaten before the

storm came.

He didn’t go to the basement despite messages from his wife, Michelle, in Michigan, and a list of others that includes many of his friends and his editor (me, the guy writing this story).

“I was eating in my breezeway, which I do when I’m by myself,” Provost said. “Then the storm came, and I was like, damn. This is a bad storm.”

Lee said he remembers Chris Breach, a longtime Daily Journal reporter who still freelances for the paper, texting him about some really, really big hail in west Kankakee.

In this case, “really, really big” was underselling it: The hailstones in west Kankakee were record-breaking for this side of the Mississippi.

“I was like, oh, there’s nothing here,” Provost said. “Maybe we dodged it.”

Then the sirens started going off, and Provost and photographer Tiffany Blanchette both got tornado warning alerts on their phones.

“My wife is sending me a message that I better be in that basement,” Provost said. “... I might’ve told her a fib.”

Blanchette said that’s just the thing Midwesterners do during a storm, and Provost almost definitely wasn’t the only one who watched the storm go by.

“My husband was watching ‘Law & Order,’ and I’m like, ‘hey, I’m turning on the news,’” Blanchette said. “He was grumpy about it, because you never think you’ll actually get hit. But I just had a bad feeling.”

Blanchette said her husband, Chris Eilers, was outside at one point at their west Kankakee home about a mile

north of the tornado’s path. She strongly gestured at him to get inside when she noticed the green color in the sky.

“It’s a little after 6 p.m., I’m looking behind Kankakee High School, where the tornado would come through,” Blanchette said. “You start to see and feel the wind shift all of a sudden. The hail, it was like cannonballs being dropped on the roof. It was shaking the windows.”

They rushed to an interior hallway as they heard the window break in their bedroom. Eventually, the hail stopped, so she went outside to photograph the hailstones and nearby damage. Shortly after, she started hearing about the damage on South Schuyler.

“That’s when Lee [Provost] called, and we decided we needed to get out there,” Blanchette said.

Roads were closed, and traffic was being diverted due to debris, but Blanchette made her way to the area of Stuart Drive.

Provost said he ran into Kankakee Police Chief Chris Kidwell, who was directing traffic. He sent Lee around the backside of Walmart to better access the areas of storm damage.

Blanchette and Provost hadn’t planned to meet there, but happened to run into each other in the area south of the Fairview Courts Motel.

They were gathering initial storm coverage near South Schuyler Road when they began hearing that Aroma Park had been hit. Despite the growing darkness – worsened by the power outage – they headed toward Aroma Park and Aroma Township.

While Provost and Blanchette were out taking photos and talking to storm survivors, Jeff Bonty was working the desk. He fielded calls from Provost and remained in contact with the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office to ensure important information was relayed to the public as quickly as possible.

Bonty said he recalls watching hail pound his vehicles at his Bourbonnais home.

The night of the storm was a blur for Provost and Blanchette. They didn’t get home until late: The last web post went out at around 1 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, and it got an update at around 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Provost and Blanchette were out again Wednesday morning, as was reporter Stephanie Markham. What followed was a series of stories documenting everything that happened in the days following the tornado, sharing the stories of people who lost everything and how the community came together to help in their time of need.

Aroma Township and nearby communities are still recovering from the storm, with entire subdivisions essentially razed. Even a month later, a drive through Kankakee, Aroma Park and Bradley reveals homes still covered with tarps and vehicles that remain without windshields.

This special section, “Kankakee County: Stronger, Together,” will highlight these stories, provide updates and serve as a historical record for those who wish to look back on this time in the future.

Timeline of the Tuesday, March 10, tornado

By MIKE URBANEC murbanec@shawmedia.com

The National Weather Service confirmed 10 tornadoes from the same storm that struck Aroma Township in Kankakee County.

The storm first developed at around 3:25 p.m. east of Bloomington-Normal, pushing northeast and reaching Pontiac at 4:30 p.m.

That is where the storm first became tornadic, with the first tornado developing north between Pontiac and Cornell. A second tornado spawned to the northeast along Interstate 55.

The storm reached Kankakee County near Herscher after 5 p.m. and arrived in Kankakee proper at 5:45 p.m. The first tornado warning went out at 6:16 p.m. in Kankakee.

The EF-3 tornado that struck Aroma

Township arrived at 6:21 p.m., and it stayed on the ground for 35.6 miles, crossing state lines into Indiana. It finally dissipated in Roselawn, Indiana.

This same storm also produced an EF-1 tornado southwest of Sun River Terrace, another smaller tornado south of Sun River Terrace, another in Ganeer Township, another in Momence Township north of Hopkins Park, and

an EF-1 tornado southwest of Wheatfield to near Dunns Bridge, Indiana.

The Aroma Township tornado destroyed many homes and killed Maurice Norington, a 65-year-old man widely known as a good guy, friendly neighbor and loving uncle.

The same tornado crossed state lines into Lake Village, Indiana, where it killed an elderly man and an elderly woman.

Storm’s path hit Aroma, Bradley, Kankakee

By LEE PROVOST lprovost@shawmedia.com

The early-evening tornado that struck significant portions of eastern Kankakee County was not the first blow residents had endured.

The first punch from the massive storm came in the form of a state-record hailstorm, which dropped softball-sized hail onto homes, businesses, schools, vehicles, and even a few people.

While it is still unclear when an official damage total will be released for the March 10 tornado and hailstorm, some are already speculating that the figure will be substantial.

Bradley

Bradley Mayor Mike Watson noted substantial portions of the village suffered extensive damage.

In fact, Watson said the final damage total across Kankakee County will likely reach the $1 billion mark once all calculations are complete.

The mayor said upwards of 60% of Bradley fell victim to the storm.

“I think we could be looking at $1 billion of damages,” he said following a village board meeting a couple of weeks after the storm. “It doesn’t take much to rack up $100 million with storm damages.”

Not all area leaders believe the damage total will reach a 10-figure range, but all agree the final figure will be extremely large.

Watson said that perhaps two-thirds of the 7-square-mile village was impacted by the large hailstones.

Kankakee schools

Property damage within the Kankakee school system is estimated at $28.7 million, and that figure is likely far from final.

The cost may yet increase as insurance adjusters continue assessing damage.

Roof damage to all 12 district buildings, 10 of which have to be replaced, accounts for about $21 million.

Lyle Neal, assistant superintendent of business services, expects the total will increase by a couple of million by

the time assessments are complete.

“I don’t anticipate the final amount for several months yet, but we will be able to get some things started on the repair side,” he said.

Neal provided a storm damage update during Monday’s Kankakee school board meeting.

“The insurance will cover a good chunk of that [damage], if not most of it,” he said.

However, roofs that are older than 20 years are covered at actual cash value, not replacement value.

Kankakee

City leadership recently noted insurance adjusters were making their way through city-owned properties where, like so many others, roof damage was extensive.

The city also reported nearly 80 vehicles sustained damage ranging from a few hailstone dents to some vehicles being complete losses.

Mayor Chris Curtis acknowledged that many Kankakee and Kankakee County residents and businesses are

dealing with storm damage and insurance issues. He said the municipal government is in the same position.

“We are like a lot of residents. We do have our own issues,” he said. “... We still have a long way to go.”

Aroma Township

While the tornado grabbed the attention, many areas outside the county’s urban core were also struck with storm damage.

But Aroma Township was the epicenter of destruction.

The mass destruction stretches from one end of the township to the other. Almost everyone was impacted.

Emergency services were also impacted, and the local response likely rippled through the neighborhoods.

“I’m definitely proud of my guys,” Fire Chief Luke Shepherd said. “I’m proud of the surrounding communities’ departments that came in, the way MABAS activated ... You can plan for it all you want. I don’t care, but I talked to a chief a couple of days ago, and he said, ‘They don’t prepare us for this.’”

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Tornado arrives, destruction follows

‘We will pull through’

By LEE PROVOST lprovost@shawmedia.com

The tornado that ripped through Aroma Township came only 20 to 30 minutes after 6 p.m. on March 10.

It was preceded by a state-record hailstorm, but the destruction it left behind was, in a strange way, only fully visible for about an hour after it tore through the eastern Kankakee County community of Aroma Township.

Damaged houses, garages, sheds and vehicles were largely indistinguishable as darkness fell over the community, with power cut to homes and the town effectively isolated.

Other than by the light of cellphones and emergency vehicles, the full extent of the damage wasn’t clear until the morning sun rose on March 11, pulling back the curtain to reveal a path of widespread destruction across neighborhoods from one end of the township to the other.

The community was in chaos.

Less than an hour after the storm moved northeast and crossed into Indiana, police, fire, public works and utility crews converged on Aroma Township.

The community – other than through an access point along Heiland Road and then west along East 3500S Road – was cut off from the rest of the region. The only people allowed in were residents, public safety personnel, utility crews and media.

It remained this way for several days.

But once inside, the devastation was shocking. The EF-3 categorized tornado left a swath of destruction, turning anything and everything in its path to rubble.

Chainsaws and end loaders immediately became the tools of choice.

A walking tour through the Aroma Township subdivisions found streets nearly impassable due to fallen trees, shredded houses and downed power lines.

The tour also found somewhat dazed and emotional residents sifting through the remains of their property and won-

dering what the next step would be.

Initially, reactions varied. Some stressed they would clear the damaged homes and rebuild. Others said they would leave.

At least one attempted to lend some humor to the bleak sight.

“As you can see, this home features plenty of natural light,” said Jesse Garcia as he sifted through the remains of his 2,200-square-foot, two-story house along Shaftsbury Road.

An insurance adjuster had met with Garcia and his wife, Kendahl, only about an hour before. The house was a complete loss.

An education in insurance was not needed to render such a verdict.

As tears filled his eyes, Garcia stood tall.

“This will not break us,” he said as his voice quivered. “We will pull through. ... We will pick up the pieces.”

Whether they will remain Aroma Township residents is another question entirely.

Only a short distance from their devastation was the residence of Logan and Amy Andersen. The family’s house also was hit with significant damage.

And like the Garcias, Logan Andersen had difficulty with his emotions.

A detective sergeant with the Kankakee Police Department, Andersen stated the obvious as he scanned his property. The once two-story home was reduced to one.

He vowed, however, that the property would be rebuilt. The subdivision was their home, and it would remain so.

“We can rebuild it the way we want it,” he said as he also searched for a ray of sunshine. “But it will be a single level.”

One story or two? Brick or frame? Asphalt shingle or slate? Two-car garage or three?

Many decisions are yet to be made. The process will be long and most likely difficult.

But residents will continue to move forward and brace themselves for what’s next.

Our area has had multiple storms that included rain, wind and hail which may have damaged the exterior of your home.

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New outlooks on life: Aroma Township residents reflect on experiences, emotions

By TIFFANY BLANCHETTE tblanchette@shawmedia.com

In the hours, days and weeks that followed, Aroma Township residents shared their experiences and emotions after an EF-3 tornado hit Kankakee County, causing one death and widespread property destruction on March 10.

While some residents have vowed to pick up the pieces and rebuild, others have decided they may say goodbye to the area.

Either way, the members of the tight-knit community, known for its Kankakee River views and wooded landscape, have more than just a different view from their windows after the storm.

Many have shared they now have a different outlook on life.

Emily LaVoie surveys the damage to her home along Elmwood Drive in Aroma Township on March 11, a day after a tornado tore through Kankakee County. RIGHT: Emily

steps over debris in what was the kitchen at her home on April 8. After the initial shock subsided, LaVoie and husband, Dave Herberger, have shifted their priorities to their lives, their happiness, their family, their friends. “I’m happy to be alive,” she said as Dave nodded in agreement. The couple are planning repairs to their home.

amazing what can happen in the matter of a

A house can be replaced, she said. Lives cannot..

Storm victim Maurice Norington remembered

By STEPHANIE MARKHAM smarkham@shawmedia.com

When disaster strikes, the helpers arMaurice Norington, 65, of Aroma Park, was a man of few words whose kindness, friendly nature and strong family bonds spoke volumes.

Norington was the only Illinois fatality from the EF-3 intensity tornado that ripped through Aroma Township and southern Kankakee on March 10, 2026.

He was found dead inside his storm-ravaged residence on Oakwood Drive two days after the storm, having suffered injuries when a tree crashed through the roof over his bedroom.

One of five siblings, Norington grew up raising horses on a farm in Pembroke Township and developed a passion for riding at a young age.

He was born July 11, 1960, to parents Elliot and Lucy Norington.

He served in the U.S. Army as a young man before continuing his work as a horse trainer and breeder for the now-closed Arlington International Racecourse.

“Maurice grew up in this world,” said

his niece Monique Norington-Joseph. “That’s how he began his love for horses, and for [Kankakee] County. He abso lutely loved Pembroke. He loved Kanka kee.”

Norington had intentions to build a farm on his family’s property in Pem broke Township and dreamed of con tinuing his father’s legacy.

He was also known for his love of ‘70s and ‘80s music. His favorite artist was Prince.

Norington spent his life building bonds with his extended family and would frequently visit relatives in Chi cago on weekends.

In December, when his sister, Nor ington-Joseph’s mother, was sick in the hospital, he was the first at her side.

“He had a way of kind of making little deposits in people’s lives,” she said.

She said she has her uncle to thank for some of the opportunities in her life, as he helped pay for her to attend col lege.

“He invested in people. He always showed up,” she said. “While he was quiet, he always had a way of making his presence known.”

Kankakee County schools step up in time of need

By STEPHANIE MARKHAM smarkham@shawmedia.com

When disaster strikes, the helpers are never far behind.

Grace Christian Academy is one place where helpers gathered in the aftermath of the EF-3 tornado and severe storms that hit Kankakee and Aroma Township that Tuesday evening.

The school at 2499 Waldron Road in Kankakee served as a drop-off location for Kankakee County tornado relief. The campus was bustling with activity despite the school being closed.

Lauri DeYoung, a Grace Christian secretary, was helping sort supplies at the school Thursday, March 12. Her drive in that morning from rural St. Anne brought a tear to her eye.

“The houses that I’ve driven past for years are gone,” she said. “It’s devastating.”

Grace Christian Assistant Principal Andrea Trivino was helping to coordinate donation dropoffs and assist community members in collecting items.

“We’re just grateful how the community has stepped in,” Trivino said. “I mean, this wall of water and groceries and diapers, it’s just amazing to see.”

Other schools from around Kankakee County also stepped up to help following the storm.

Kankakee School District welcomed Convoy of Hope, a nonprofit humanitarian organization, as they delivered a truckload of food and supplies.

A group of 40 Kankakee staff and volunteers unloaded and sorted pallets of donations. Residents began lining up. It provided nonperishable food and essentials such as water, toiletries, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, clothing and books.

Ceejay Johnson, a fourth grade teacher at King Middle School, helped sort boxes of food. At least one student in his class lost housing in the tornado. Others were without electricity.

“I believe in volunteerism, and I believe in not doing it for a name, but doing it for a cause,” he said. “If I can help someone through, I’ll do it.”

Sixth grade teacher Amanda Sandy said she was relieved to hug one of her students when they came to the school for a free breakfast in the morning.

“It meant a lot to be able to have that connection and let them know that I was thinking of them,” she said. ”I feel it’s important to show the community and show students that we all help each other. It shows some empathy.”

Across town, Bishop McNamara schools had to first turn inward to deal with damage at the Kankakee site before starting a T-shirt and gift card fundraiser to help the community.

As teachers and staff showed up Thursday morning to assess the damage, scores of their students also showed up to help begin the process of cleaning up their second home.

But Bishop McNamara president Kaelyn Bess emphasized the need has turned to helping families.

“This is just a building,” Bess said. “It’s the people that make it special, and we’ve got to help them.”

ABOVE: Lauri DeYoung, school secretary, helps organize donated supplies at Grace Christian Academy on March 12 following the EF-3 tornado that tore through Kankakee County on March 10. The school, which is on the outskirts of Aroma Township along Waldron Road, canceled classes in order to become a supply and meal hub for those impacted by the storm.

Tiffany Blanchette

TOP LEFT: Ceejay Johnson, a teacher at King Middle School, sorts a box of food during a donation delivery by Convoy of Hope at Lincoln Cultural Center in Kankakee on March 12.

Nicholas Holstein for Shaw Local

BOTTOM LEFT: Bishop McNamara seniors Coen Demack (left) and Cale Hamilton remove damaged smart boards from McNamara’s Kankakee site on, March 12. The pair were two of the scores of students and families who turned out to help clean up the school after it suffered significant damage in the severe storms that hit Kankakee County on March 10.

Mason Schweizer

An outpouring of community support in storm’s wake

By STEPHANIE MARKHAM smarkham@shawmedia.com

The EF-3 tornado that struck Aroma Township on March 10 arrived at 6:21 p.m.

Immediately after the winds calmed and the skies cleared, community members sprang into action, checking on one another and helping clear debris from roadways well into the dark of the night.

By first light, support efforts were already in motion. From nonprofits to local businesses and churches, those efforts became a shining example of the support that flows from a small community.

One of those efforts came from the heart of Aroma Park. The small bar at the corner of Waldron and Lowe roads, called the Fun Hub, quickly became the community’s hub for support.

What started as simply cooking the food on hand for first responders turned into something much bigger. Donations ranging from hot meals and cases of water to toiletries and tarps began pouring in at all hours.

The support was nothing short of amazing, said Fun Hub manager Amanda Jolly.

“It’s like a big family taking care of each other,” Jolly said. “In a town with not a single stoplight, we’re just this little bar in the heart of town. But here we are. We’re here to help.”

Jolly, an Aroma Park resident, said that after the tornado hit, she went to check on her regulars in their homes and, still without power, began packing coolers for people who needed insulin. Then, she started cooking the food she had on hand.

With power restored, the Fun Hub stayed focused on helping its neighbors for weeks as the tables inside the bar quickly became buffet and supply tables as local food providers fired up their kitchens, and the bar’s outdoor areas quickly filled with donated items and trailers for storage.

Just outside of town, volunteers and public works crews worked around the clock to help restore order to the area.

“It’s been really wonderful to see the community come together the way they have,” Oakwoods subdivision resident Tim Pinson said, noting that up to 20 volunteers stopped by to offer help in a single day.

Several nonprofits flocked to Kankakee County to lend assistance, including Team Rubicon, a veteran-led volun-

Manager Amanda Jolly smiles as she greets residents at the Fun Hub on March 12. The small bar transformed into a bustling hub of supplies, food and resources following the March 10 tornado that caused destruction in Aroma Township and across Kankakee County.

teer organization that responds to disasters internationally.

Mo Kerrigan, a Team Rubicon field leadership team member, coordinated efforts of up to 30 volunteers each day.

Within a week of the tornado, they had completed roughly 22 work orders and moved about 54,000 cubic feet of debris. The group stayed through March 28.

“If the world behaved the way it does

the first couple of days after a disaster, it’d be a much better place to live,” said Kerrigan, a volunteer for almost five years.

As residents continue to navigate the difficult process of rebuilding their lives, Aroma Park resident Angelina Gear said the county has also witnessed something “incredibly powerful.”

“Businesses from communities that were not directly impacted have been showing up every day, donating meals, supplies, space and resources for relief efforts. Volunteers have arrived with trucks and chainsaws. Churches and organizations have opened their doors. Neighbors are helping neighbors,” said Gear, executive director of Visit Kankakee County. “This is what community looks like.”

“Kankakee County is strong,” she said. “And while some of our neighbors have a long road ahead, they will not walk it alone.”

Aroma Park Mayor Brian Stump shared that sentiment.

“One week ago at this time, I was walking through the most destructive thing I have ever seen in my life,” Stump said on March 17.

“This is going to be a long road. I know we can rebuild and still remain a strong community. I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” he said. “Stay strong and be kind to one another. You all have friends around you.”

Kathy Dummer (center) and her husband Jeff (left) of Aroma Park, join hands with fellow parishioners and residents as they participate in a Mass and prayer service in Aroma Park on March 12, following the EF-3 tornado that tore through the town and Kankakee County on March 10.

‘Mass of Hope’ brought prayer to Aroma Park

By CHRISTOPHER BREACH

Shaw Local News Newtwork correspondent

After the devastating tornado that tore through south Kankakee and Aroma Township on March 10, the Rev. Matt Pratscher knew he had to do something to help the cause.

Pratscher, the pastor of St. John Paul II Catholic Church in west Kankakee, made some calls and organized an outdoor Mass for March 12 at the Shannon Pavilion on Waldron Road in Aroma Park, not far from the damaged homes.

One parishioner called it a “Mass of Hope.”

“I wanted to do something, and started to ask myself, what can we do?” Pratscher said. Maybe prayer could be part of the healing process.

Pratscher said the prayer service was intended for everyone affected, as well as for the first responders assisting in recovery efforts. Bishop Chris Glancy, pastor of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church

in Kankakee, concelebrated the Mass with Pratscher.

Glancy prayed for protection, shelter and safety for those impacted, for the Lord to grant strength and courage to those facing the aftermath of the tornado and to bring them comfort and peace.

“Let your love be a soothing balm to their hearts,” Glancy said. “Help them to find solace in your promises and presence, Lord, we pray for provision and aid for the tornado victims. Open the hearts of people to give generously and provide for those in need. Let resources flow abundantly to help them recover and rebuild. Merciful God, we ask for healing and restoration for those injured and traumatized by the tornado, heal their bodies, minds and spirits, restore their communities, and bring them back to a place of peace and normalcy.”

Around 40 people attended the Mass, including many from Aroma Park and the St. John Paul II church.

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The Central Intake Department (CID) provides mental health screenings 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the Emergency Department. (844) 442-2551 Fax: (815) 935-3329

The Central Intake Department (CID) provides mental health screenings 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the Emergency Department. (844) 442-2551 Fax: (815) 935-3329