Two years after Omaha Arbor Day tornado, homeowners still rebuilding

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Two years after the Arbor Day tornado tore through the communities of Blair and Elkhorn, recovery is still underway.

The Omaha Community Foundation held a tornado recovery commemoration today, recognizing progress made and what’s to come. One homeowner is still recuperating from the storm that tore apart her family’s home.

The lawn is still being redone even two years later. The owners of the property say there are things they wish they knew before the tornado ever struck.

Insurance claims took months to process

April 26, 2024, Maggie Youngers, her husband and her three kids huddled in their basement as their house was destroyed.

“Your ears popped, and then it felt like somebody sat on your chest, like, sucked the air out of your lungs. And, yeah. And then it was just chaos,” Youngers said.

When she stepped outside to survey the damage, it was a mess.

“It was just an absolute mess,” she said.

She and her husband called their insurer right away. What ensued was months of back and forth.

“We just didn’t really know what to touch because insurance was very clear. Like don’t touch anything. We have to assess it,” Youngers said.

It took until July for her family’s claim to be processed.

“That was the first like instinct I had of like, this is going to be a long journey,” she said.

Homeowner says double-checking valuations saved thousands

Youngers says one of the most important things she did was go through the valuation of all the items covered by the policy and double-check them.

“Our cabinets, our countertops, things like that. I went through and double checked on the market, what those were. It took a lot of time, but I think before that was all said and done, I think we probably captured over a hundred grand,” she said.

Youngers says it’s important to ask questions while you’re signing your policy and take inventory of everything in your house.

“Like we go through our house now every six months and it’s, we’re taking video. Um, you know, we’re keeping account of the higher-priced items,” she said.

She says patience is key.

“I think the biggest piece of advice I have is, um, control your emotions with it because it is very emotional. It is. You’re looking at this and it’s like, this is a no brainer. Like this house is tore up. Like, why can’t you just say that?” Youngers said.

After all was said and done, she says about 20-25 percent of the cost of the build still fell on her family. The Omaha Community Foundation was able to help cover some of that cost.

“At the end of the day, an insurance company needs to make money. They’re trying not to spend money on you and it’s their business model. Everyone has a right to their business model. And so you have to advocate for yourself and reach out to somebody and get help if you are not sure,” she said.

Foundation distributed more than $1 million in assistance

After the tornado, Youngers was quoted more than double her previous rate to keep her current home insurance and went with a different company instead.

The Omaha Community Foundation also has some advice on how to be prepared for a disaster. A spokesperson says you should organize all your paperwork, like your mortgage statement or insurance policy, so you know where it is.

The Omaha Community Foundation had information for anyone looking for more details on how to protect their home, including a pamphlet with more details on how to protect your property in case of a natural disaster.

All in all, the Omaha Community Foundation spent more than a million dollars distributing assistance to people affected by the tornado.