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Young woman homesick one month after tornado destroys family’s house

Posted at 1:23 PM, Aug 05, 2014
and last updated 2014-08-05 13:23:00-04

KENTWOOD, Mich — It’s been about a month since an EF1 tornado tore a path through Kentwood and Wyoming. Neighborhoods are making progress, but for some homeowners, the rebuilding process hasn’t even started.

“As you notice, half the house is gone,” explained Angel Ruster.

The tornado destroyed her family’s Poinsettia Avenue home, leaving just a skeleton. Ruster described the night the tornado hit.

“I was looking outside and I noticed the rain stopped, everything stopped and it was silent,” Ruster said.  “I looked out the window and before I knew it, the house shook and I was toppled to the ground by my dad.”

Her parents were trapped, but Ruster managed to squeeze out a doorway to get help. No one was hurt.

Even though the family is able to stay with friends, who live just behind her old house, the loss still hurts.

“Each person had their breakdown moment,” Ruster said.

“I remember the first week or two I was ok.  By the third week, it just hit me.”

Ruster says she’s homesick, but looks forward to the day her family can rebuild on the same lot.