On my first day as an intern for the Cedar County News, I had the opportunity to meet someone very special. His story is heartrending, but his strength is inspiring.

My editor was nervous he wouldn’t want to speak with me about what happened, let alone allow me to photograph him. But thankfully, he was open and kind toward me when he had every right to be reserved.

Below is a revised piece I wrote for the newspaper. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Greg Dunn wasn’t aware of the EF3 tornado barreling his way. After a tree branch crashed into a window, Greg sought shelter in his basement, completely alone except for the company of his frightened dog, Jake. The 100 mph winds roared above his head. As he looked up through a crack in the floor, he saw a light.

The next day, Dunn stood on the black and white checkered floor of what used to be his kitchen, surrounded by heaps of splintered wood and his scattered belongings. Only one wall was left standing. The leafless trees swayed limply in the wind.

The tornado that flattened Coleridge, Nebraska on June 17, 2014 stole the last of what Dunn had left: his home. Two days prior to the storm, his wife of 38 years, Diane, died of a heart attack. This week marks the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, from which both loss and renewal were born. Although the road to recovery is long and winding, Dunn has slowly been traveling it. The passage of time heals even the deepest of wounds.

Dunn briefly considered moving after the tornado, but then he realized he wouldn’t know anyone. His small town roots kept him grounded. “If it wasn’t for the community, I probably wouldn’t be here. I’d be with my son and daughter-in-law in Indiana. But so many people here wanted me to stay,” he said.

Dunn was never alone during his hardships, and he is incredibly thankful for the people who supported him. Many locals took time out of their schedules to help him gingerly piece his life back together, like building him a new garage to do his woodworking.

When Dunn felt as though he had lost purpose, it took the tough love of his friend to remind him of his self worth. She told him Diane would not want him sitting around doing nothing. She was right.

Since then, Dunn has been rebuilding his life with what he knows best: wood. In his new workspace, he makes signs for businesses and other wooden gifts. He has also remodeled his new house, painting the walls, replacing the bathtub with a shower and constructing a new front porch, where he enjoys passing time with his dog. “It helps to keep busy,” he said. “But I don’t think I’ll ever be as happy as I was before. It depends on the day.”

Dunn remembers his wife fondly. They did everything together, and never owned a house they didn’t work on. Diane was a talented wood carver and carpenter; she even built a staircase by hand. “Diane could look at a piece of wood and see something in it and then carve it,” he explained. Everyone knew her because she possessed the gift of conversation, striking up an immediate friendship with nearly anyone she met. “I miss Diane. Sometimes I need a third hand. I had to figure out how to do a lot of things on my own.”

Dunn has been able to find the good in a situation that could understandably strip someone of all optimism, a testament to his resilience. “In the long run, losing the house and everything might have been better for me… I couldn‘t stay there, not after losing Diane. We had been there for 25 years. The storm decided for me what belongings to keep,” he said. “I learned that you have to live each day like it could be your last because some things happen really fast and there’s nothing you can do about it. When you leave for work in the morning, tell your spouse you love them. Something might happen to her, something to you. You just never know.”

Greg Dunn stood on the wooden floor of his new kitchen, surrounded by the belongings he salvaged and four new walls. One year has passed, and he has proved to have the courage of a survivor. Just as he saw a light during the tornado, Dunn continues to see the bright side to even his darkest days.

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