It was just one day. But the deadly tornadoes that struck on April 27, 2011 not only dramatically altered Alabama’s landscape, they also changed the people who experienced their incredible fury.

Four years later, NewsCenter is remembering that day – and looking forward – with reports from four communities hit hard by the tornadoes. Our first report is from Hackleburg.

For Hackleburg, a town of a little more than 1,500 residents located in northeast Marion County, the tornado had devastating effects. All but two of the community’s 32 commercial buildings were lost. The town’s largest employer, a Wrangler jeans distribution center, was decimated. Schools, churches and homes were destroyed in a matter of seconds.

Most upsetting, though, was the loss of 18 lives.

Aerial view of storm damage to Wrangler plant in Hackleburg after April 27, 2011. *Photo courtesy of www.madeinalabama.com

“We lost a lot that day,” said Hackleburg Mayor Whitey Cochran. “We have since replaced much of that, but we can never replace the lives lost.”

But like many towns hit by the tornadoes, with devastation comes opportunity.

“This is not quick fix,” Cochran said. “It will be a slow process, but we will continue to unite as a community and rebuild this town stronger than ever.”

In the four years since the tornado, Hackleburg has made progress. The town received state and federal support to fund construction of public buildings, a new sewer system, street improvements and housing. But with these grants comes responsibility.

“We are making the most of what we have been given,” said Cochran, proudly. “We are using it wisely.”

A ribbon-cutting for the Vanity Fair Wrangler distribution plant was held April 27, 2013, exactly two years after the deadly storm.

Multiple layers of recovery

Years later, evidence of recovery is now visible.  After nearly four years without a school, a new one is set to open in May. The Wrangler distribution center has been rebuilt and employs around 200 people. The downtown is being revitalized through the assistance of a $2.1 million Community Development Block Grant. The new downtown will include a new grocery store, restaurants and businesses, with the new sewer system expected to help spur even more development.

In addition to the work downtown, Hackleburg is rebuilding its city hall and police department complex. Both are in the final stages of construction and are expected to open at the end of April. A new daycare center and a farmers market and pavilion are scheduled for completion this summer.

While much of the town’s facilities are new, the people of Hackleburg still struggle with the memory of what they went through on that frightening day four years ago.

“We all have scars out there that remind us every day of this storm,” Cochran said. “But we have come a long way and we are just grateful for where we are now.”

– Anna Catherine Roberson