On April 16, 2011, an EF-3 tornado first touched down near Sanford where it flattened a Lowes store and ripped apart hundreds of homes and buildings.
Killer storms cut a 60-mile-long path of destruction from Sanford to Raleigh.
Today, most of the damage in Lee County is cleaned up and homes and businesses have been repaired or rebuilt.
However, many residents say getting over the emotional scars will take a lot longer. Gerard Davis and other tornado survivors say the worst part of the ordeal is the first couple of days when fear gives way to despair. He has a message for Oklahoma survivors.
"All I can say to them out there is keep the faith," said Davis. "Just keep looking up to the heavens from which help comes, and everything will be alright, but just keep looking up."
Davis said he and his neighbors still get worried every time they see storm clouds on the horizon.
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