A memorial for the 19 victims of last year’s tornadoes is seen during “Day of Remembrance” in London, Kentucky, on Saturday, May 16, 2026. Peyton Tindall/The Watchdog

LONDON, Ky. —  Families reflected on lives lost during a “Day of Remembrance,” honoring the victims of the 2025 tornadoes that tore through Southern Kentucky.

On May 16, 2025, an EF4 tornado ripped through several counties, including Laurel, Pulaski and Russell, killing 19 people and injuring others according to the National Weather Service, making it the deadliest recorded tornado in the local NWS branch’s history.

Exactly one year later, people gathered at Wyan-Pine Grove Elementary for a remembrance ceremony, reading aloud the names of those killed in the storm.

The elementary school is near the Sunshine Hills area, a subdivision where 10 people died and a marker stands honoring all who died in the tornado.

During her speech at the ceremony, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman spoke about being on site with Gov. Andy Beshear the day after the storm hit, and how she was “blown away” by the local emergency response.

Coleman said she returned to the area after the tornado to support families and that the resilience of Laurel County has stuck with her.

“Everywhere I looked, people were there to help,” Coleman said. “Some might have had chainsaws, some might have had a bottle of water, others may have had hope and prayer, and it all made a difference.”

When a community works together, she said they can get through hard times, even when it feels tough.

“It’s my hope that as we reflect on the devastation that this community faced and we remember the lives lost, we also know that we will never forget those challenges,” she said, “but we carry with us into the coming days that sense of hope and humanity and sacrifice that sometimes we may forget in other times.”

James Sexton holds his head down as the names of the victims of last year’s tornados were called out during “Day of Remembrance” at Wyan-Pine Grove Elementary in London, Kentucky, on Saturday, May 16, 2026. Peyton Tindall/The Watchdog

Dobie Frazier, who grew up and now lives in London, said she was just a few steps into her basement when the tornado tore through her backyard.

For the two or three minutes it took for the storm to pass, all Frazier said she could feel was pressure as a loud “angry” sound echoed from outside.

Soon after the storm hit, Frazier stepped out of her home, and first responders were on her street almost immediately.

According to Frazier, crews had been waiting on the main roads, out of the storm’s path, to help locals after the tornado hit.

“They worked all night, and as it started to get daylight, they (were) still out there working,” Frazier said. “Our emergency response people were unbelievably fantastic that night. I couldn’t believe how fast they were there. I couldn’t believe all the things that they were doing.”

The streets were littered with pieces of her neighbors’ homes, blocking the roads, she said, and a new “eerie” feeling settled within her, knowing her community was forever changed.

“The atmosphere was different, the air felt different,” Frazier said. “It was very, very odd.”

According to Frazier, her community rallied in the days after the storm, with first responders and volunteers helping people throughout the city.

Volunteers brought supplies, including food and water, and helped people begin cleaning their homes, Frazier said. A missionary group called Eight Days of Hope cleared the trees from her backyard.

However, the group left one tree stump that had been carved into a cross — a reminder of where the tornado hit and the lives it took.

“It (the cross) makes me sad because I know 19 people died in that storm,” Frazier said. “When I look across the street and I see the wooded area back there, there’s just nothing there now.”

 According to Frazier, people can still tell something bad happened in their community, even if they do not know about the tornados and the damage it inflicted.

As the community continues to recover and commemorates one year since the storm, Frazier said it was important for people to show up to the event and remember that night.

“I know it makes people sad, because it makes me sad,” Frazier said. “But at the same time, you’re showing reverence to those who lost their lives and all those people who have been suffering for the last year trying to recover and trying to just gather their things back.”

People listen as the names of victims of last year’s tornados were called out during “Day of Remembrance” at Wyan-Pine Grove Elementary in London, Kentucky, on Saturday, May 16, 2026. Peyton Tindall/The Watchdog

Laurel County Sheriff John Root said he worked nearly 36 hours  after the tornado tore through his town.

As he looked through the event’s crowd, Root said he saw an emptiness behind the eyes of his community and the hurt that lingers even a year after the deadly event.

Even through all the pain, Root said he applauds everyone who lived through the tornadoes, showing how a community comes together in times of need.

But, even with all the progress toward rebuilding, the work is not over yet, according to Root.

“There’s a lot more to be done,” Root said. “We are Laurel County strong.”