NEW ORLEANS — Strong storms are expected in Southeast Louisiana Tuesday and while they create a risk for tornadoes, many families are still cleaning up from the most recent tornadoes to hit Southeast Louisiana.
Joseph Chimento was inside his Marrero home on Lydia Court on December 14 when an EF-2 tornado tore through his neighborhood.
"I've been in this house since 1965," he said. "I heard a noise - 'boom!' I thought Lord have mercy."
It ripped apart his roof.
"Quite a bit of damage. Have to change all the insulation, it got wet," Chimento said. "Open the door, and all I see is a bunch of trash piled up, car banged up, roof was gone."
It added to an already tough year.
"I was married for 65 years. I lost the wife in April," Chimento said.
Brenda Chimento died suddenly, according to the family.
"She was having stomach issues. She went into the hospital, and we all went to see her that day. At midnight they called and told us she coded," Chimento's sister-in-law, Bonnie Rodriguez, said.
Rodriguez showed up on December 14 after hearing a tornado hit her brother-in-law's home.
"Disaster. It was horrible," Rodriguez said.
She's thankful the biggest losses are replaceable.
"All in all were blessed. We have been blessed. At least we have him. Nothing happened to him. The house can be repaired, he can't," she said.
"One thing, I'm still living," Chimento said.
Over the last three weeks, the family salvaged what they could while cleaning up.
"We tarped the house," Rodriguez said.
They're now waiting for a structural engineer to deem the house structurally sound before they can start rebuilding and Chimento can move back home.
"Maybe if I'm lucky by June," he said.
Chimento's family, along with other families in the neighborhood, were securing their tarps Monday as more strong storms with the risk of tornadoes are heading into the area.
"You can see the weather is starting again," Rodriguez said as wind picked up Monday.
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