NEW WASHINGTON, In. (WDRB) -- Six months ago tomorrow, an E-F4 tornado leveled parts of Southern Indiana.
13 people died in the March 2 tornado outbreak. Three of them came from one family.
"Still trying to get the arm fixed and the collarbone healed."
Amanda Jackson is still recovering from the March 2, tornado.
"Not many people, I guess fly through the air at 200 miles an hour and live."
But the physical scars will heal much more quickly than the emotional ones.
"I don't think the mental will ever go away.They say it gets easier. It don't. It gets harder."
This is where Amanda's life changed forever. She rode out the storm at her grandparents house with two of her children. She remembers like it was yesterday.
"You feel every piece of dirt and every piece of steel. You feel it all."
Amanda's grandparents, Terry and Carol Jackson died. Her 4-year-old son, Daylynn, was ripped from her arms and killed.
"You're kind of numb, I think. And you can't see because the mud is just everywhere. I knew Daylynn was gone. I knew. And my grandparents were behind me lying face down. Everything was gone. I mean there was nothing left. It was all gone."
Amanda has had multiple surgeries, one just last Tuesday. Eventually, she'll mend.
But for Amanda and her family, life will never be normal. Every thundercloud brings back the memories.
"A lot of people think when the tornado's over and the cleanup's over that it's gone. It's not. Everyday there's a reminder. Every single day, there's something."
Despite the deep and painful memories here, Amanda plans to rebuild this house and, eventually, live here.
"I hope to be there. That's where I'm supposed to be. That's where I want to be."
But, for Amanda, even time is now measured differently.
"We have a life before March 2nd, and we have a life after March 2nd. And that's just the way it is."
Amanda says she's grateful for all the help she's received, though working with insurance companies and government agencies has been very frustrating.
Right now, she plans to attend one of the many observances tomorrow marking the 6 month anniversary.
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