Coming Home: Part One

On the evening of August 4, 2008, an EF2 tornado tore through Griffith and severely damaged over a dozen homes including the Jelenski house. The next morning I walked up to Jeff and introduced myself to him and walked with him through his house as he told me the story of the night before. Jeff and his daughter Dana were at Arby's a mile west of the house getting food when the storm hit. His wife Elaine and son Ryan with their dog Buddy were rushed to their basement by their neighbor Pat Nashkoff moments before the first "explosion" occurred. While the tornado tore off their roof, Elaine protected Ryan with her body and a couch cushion as Ryan screamed, "I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" The sirens never went off at the fire station down the street. Had their neighbor not showed up to warn Elaine and Ryan, there is no telling what would have happened to them.

Only a few days before the start of school, Jeff and Elaine struggled to get the family in order in time for school and tried to keep a air of normalcy as they moved to a two bedroom suite at the Residence Inn near the expressway in Hammond. Thankfully, the kids have adapted and have kept their grades up. The Jelesnki house was torn down because of structural issues. The hope to is be back in their new house by the Spring.

This is part one of the Coming Home series. When people ask how long I have been working with the Jelenski family, I take pride in answering tornado plus 12 hours. I will keep telling their story through the holidays and into next year when they finally move back home.


Click here to see the Post-Tribune story and multimedia


This is how they played the story. Centerpiece on A1 and an ad-free double truck on A4/5
First one at the Post-Tribune. Hopefully not the last.




The Jelenski house was severely damaged when an F-2 tornado tore through Griffith late in the evening on August 4, leaving a swath of destroyed homes in it's wake. Elaine Jelenski and her son Ryan were home at the time of the tornado and were rushed downstairs by their neighbor Pat only moments before it hit their house.


Jeff Jelenski of Griffith stands near his pool and takes in the damage to the neighborhood while trying to salvage what he could August 5, in Griffith.


Although the roof was severely damaged above it, the crucifix above the side door in the Jelenski house remained undamaged and was removed August 5, 2008, and put away for safe keeping. There were several instances of objects that were untouched among the destruction.


Elaine Jelenski explains the sound and feeling in the house of when the tornado hit to Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, center, during his tour of the damaged areas in Griffith August 26, in Griffith. Gov Daniels toured several of the damaged homes in Griffith before holding a press conference to discuss state-funded aid.


Using dirt as mortar, Ryan Jelenski uses pavers from the remains of the flower beds to build "a room" on the concrete slab where the garage used to sit September 11, in Griffith.


Elaine Jelenski explains the lay-out of her new kitchen to her husband Jeff Jelenski and their contractor Mike Hudek of Del Mar Builders while looking over plans for their new home October 1, in Griffith. The damage to their home was so extensive that it had to be knocked down to the foundation and rebuilt.


Jeff Jelenski helps Dana Jelenski with her homework as they sit on the couch in their hotel living room September 9, in Hammond. Although Jeff and Elaine worried that their kids' grades would be effected by the tornado striking several days before school started, both have kept their grades as high as years past.


Under a few lights on the basketball court at the Residence Inn, Jeff Jelenski tries to block a kick from Ryan Jelenski September 23 in Hammond. One of the bigger changes for Ryan was the loss of a yard to play sports with his family.


Jeff Jelenski and Ryan Jelenski check out the sink while Elaine Jelenski looks around the kitchen of a rental home in Highland, September 11. Because of continuing difficulties with their insurance, they could not secure a down payment in time to rent the home.


Ryan Jelenski lets ham hang out of his mouth and makes a face at his father Jeff Jelenski while taking a break pulling the copper wire out of his house October 5, in Griffith.


Elaine Jelenski holds back their Old English Sheepdog named Buddy as Jeff Jelenski uses a sprayer to wash him in the bathtub of their hotel room at the Residence Inn September 11, in Hammond.


Dana Jelenski yells for her parents as she points out the rising water in the parking lot next to their hotel September 14, in Hammond. Within 45 minutes, the Jelenski family had to pack up whatever they could and evacuate the hotel. This marked the second time they would seek refuge from a natural disaster.


Elaine Jelenski looks back and yells for her husband Jeff Jelenski who ran back into the hotel while she takes Dana and Ryan Jelenski and their Old English Sheepdog named Buddy as they rush to their Chevrolet Tahoe to evacuate the Residence Inn as floodwaters continued to rise on the hotel September 14, in Hammond. High flood waters covered several cities in northwest Indiana forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.


Jeff Jelenski fixes Ryan Jelenski's backpack while Dana Jelenski plays with Buddy before leaving for school October 13, in their hotel room at the Residence Inn in Hammond. The kids are driven to Eldon Ready Elementary School so they can still have a normal school life.


Dana Jelenski, left, and Ryan Jelenski talk with Ashley Clark before school October 13, at the Residence Inn in Hammond. The staff of the Residence Inn have tried to make lives for the Jelenski family as easy as possible from helping to watch Ryan when Jeff and Elaine needed to meet with their contractor to taking Buddy outside if the family was leaving him alone for most of the day.


Elaine Jelenski walks Dana and Ryan Jelenski up to Eldon Ready Elementary School October 13, in Griffith. Although the tornado hit a few days before school started, the family and the school has tried to make school life as normal as possible for Dana and Ryan.


Wearing a mask from the horror movie, "Saw" Dana Jelenski talks with her dad while Ryan Jelenski looks at the the wall of candy October 12, at the K-Mart in Griffith.



Ryan Jelenski waits for his Dad to come help him during a Halloween party for the families of the Residence Inn October 20, in Hammond. Ryan ended up winning first in the pumpkin carving contest while his sister Dana won the apple-bobbing contest and took third in the costume contest.


The final day before demolition begins on their house, Ryan Jelenski wildly swings into the drywall with a piece of conduit as his sister Dana Jelenski stays out of harm's way before taking her turn in their former living room Oct. 12.


The day before demolition began on the house, Jeff Jelenski folds up an American Flag with his daughter Dana Jelenski October 12, in Griffith. The morning after the tornado hit, Jeff hung the flag over the front of his house and made a point to make sure it hung straight every time he came back to the house. The flag will fly again when the new house is completed.


Only the tile in the foyer remain in the Jelenski house on November 15, in Griffith. The family hopes to be in their new home before next summer, if not sooner.



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