ROGERS, Ark. — Tornado cleanup continues in Benton County almost a month into a summer of rising temperatures.
Benton County saw temperatures in the 90s as crews continued recovery efforts at the end of June. Many of the families still cleaning up remember the events of May 26 like it was yesterday.
Drey Craig said he was playing online games with his friends while his wife was asleep when alerts started coming in through his phone.
"We ran to the bathroom," Craig said. "I covered up everything, and then it just sounded like a train. For probably 15 minutes. It's like a freight train coming through explosions outside. Things were booming. It was it was really scary."
Joseph Kennedy said he was taking Memorial Day weekend off work to relax with a cousin, fishing at Holiday Island. On Sunday morning, he received alerts on his phone and knew to call his parents in town.
"After 15 to 16 tries, I got a hold of Mom, and I go, 'Mom Is everything okay?' She goes, 'No.' And then the phone cut out," Kennedy said.
Both Craig and Kennedy said their families are still working with their insurance companies.
Craig said the entire process, including cleaning up, has been a "day-by-day thing." When the tornado came through, trees blocked his street and gas was in the air. Now, debris lines the roads, and the sound of work surrounds them.
"I hear chainsaws in my sleep. It's just every day it's been hearing chainsaws, seeing it, seeing giant trucks come through," Craig said.
The timing of the tornadoes made summer 2024 in Benton County about recovering. That's becoming difficult with temperatures continuing to reach dangerous highs.
"This heat, it's definitely slowed things down," Craig said.
"One bottle of Gatorade and two bottles of water. You gotta keep those electrolytes up," Kennedy joked.
Kennedy has been helping his parents clean their property. He says he's lost track of time because they've been working 7 days a week to clean up the property.
He said his experience working on wind turbines makes him feel ready for working in the summer heat.
However, Kennedy said it's difficult for the elderly, including his parents.
"They wouldn't last maybe two hours a day, probably," Kennedy said. "Everybody's been juggling everything, and we've been slowly progressing, you know, on the cleanup."
One thing both families are certain of is that they have a community that is there for each other.
"It's just amazing how we've all come together," Kennedy said. "We just started at one house and worked our way, you know. I mean, if the neighbor comes over [and asks], 'Hey, can you help me do this?' You just jump and do it," Kennedy said.
"We've been through so such a traumatic experience," Craig said. "It's great to see us all come together and bond and push through together."
For more information on relief resources, you can visit the Benton County Storm Relief webpage.
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