Pleasant Grove's Resilience: 15 Years After EF-4 Tornado

0:0015 years ago, on April 27, 2011, an EF-4 tornado ripped through Pleasant Grove, Alabama, wiping out homes and, claiming 12 lives in the community. Families like Philip and Catherine Houston survived by seconds, hearing a grinding roar like a woodchipper and rushing everyone into their deepest, basement spot just in time. When they climbed out, the scene hit hard neighbor's houses look bombed out, and five folks right on their 12th Avenue street lost their lives. At night, today, those losses linger like a hazy dream for survivors, but the Houston's rebuilt right there, calling at home after raising their kids for decades. Now they flip the script to gratitude, honoring police and fire crews each April 27 at Bethel Baptist Church, celebrating how the community pulled together to rise again. That wraps Birmingham News today, brought to you with AI.