ABC11 is in Greensboro as residents rally after tornado
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- It was round two for neighbors in east Greensboro on Tuesday, cleaning up after a deadly tornado ravaged their community. Debris piles line the streets of homes and vehicles that are condemned.
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"Where do we go from here?" Akem New told ABC11. Four months ago, New, his girlfriend and their 5-year-old daughter had just moved to the Avalon Apartments. Sunday's tornado ripped the roof off their home.
"We were still getting things in order - buying piece by piece. It's devastating," New said.
The family survived because they weren't home. And neither were 11- and 12-year-old Curtis and Marquel Coleman, who say they were walking to the store in the neighborhood Sunday evening when the tornado hit. They survived inside a stranger's home.
"I was just hoping that the person would open the doors and let us in," said Curtis Coleman.
"We could have lost our life," Marquel Coleman added.
On Tuesday, the Coleman brothers received more help from neighbors with free food.
Survivors who remain without electricity lined up to get a hot fish and chicken plate from Off the Hook Food Truck.
"We're going to keep giving it out until we can't give no more," said Riddick, the owner of Off the Hook. Tuesday they gave away 500 plates.
ABC11 found neighbors helping each other who were already struggling financially before the storm - now dealing with the heartbreak of starting over again.
"Like, it's Greensboro. You wouldn't expect for this to ever happen," said New, who does have insurance. "We just gotta keep our head up and move forward."
Some of the survivors will head back to a handful of shelters open in Greensboro.
All public schools were closed Tuesday.
They will reopen Wednesday except for three that were directly impacted.
