Tornado victims have new home for the holidays

GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. -

It's still hard to believe that 20 months after deadly tornadoes tore through our region; some people still aren't back in their homes yet.

The tornado victims that lost everything have been busy rebuilding and one patient family in Greene County is looking forward to celebrating their first Christmas in their new home.

It's only fitting there's a "New Home 2012" ornament hanging on the Christmas tree in the Ellerman's home. "This is the first big tree we've had in a really long time," said Amber Ellerman.

It's only been a short time the family has been living in their new home on Richard Blake Road in the Greystone Community. They moved in just days before this Thanksgiving.

But let's go back to April 2011 -- things looked much different after tornadoes tore through Greene County. "When [the tornado] came through the house lifted up but when the tree fell from the master bathroom across [the home], it actually stopped it from taking the house," added Ellerman.

Ellerman says her family would not have been able to afford the new home without help from AIDNET and she says they're one of the last families to have their home completed by the organization. "To know you're the very last one. At least no one else is waiting," she said.

It took about 10 weeks for the house to look like a home. Ellerman says her mother made sure their front door was in the exact same place and this Christmas their new home is the present they're most grateful for. "We have everything we need now, we have the house and each other," she said.

News 5 also checked with the United Way of Virginia Highlands; officials say there are seven homes in Virginia left to finish rebuilding.