Evanston couple Douglas Weber and Martha Plaza-Weber were willing to fight Kankakee River flooding along their Sandbar Road weekend get-away.

But a tornado?

That blow from Mother Nature is an entirely different story and it is one in which this retired couple said “uncle” and will call it quits when it comes to river living.

Almost exactly one week from planning a summer garden on the one-third-acre property along scenic South Sandbar Road, the couple were pulling double duty on this cold, snowy Monday afternoon.

Instead of marveling over the river’s beauty and how they would spend time here this summer, they were picking out any valuables they could unearth inside the former two-story house.

The couple believes their 1.5-car garage is lying in tatters on a nearby property.

Inside the garage were two kayaks, a canoe, fishing rods and reels, and three stocked tackle boxes. Where those contents are is open for discussion.

They were also dealing with an Allstate insurance adjuster who had just delivered the expected news: The approximate $100,000 house is a loss. A total loss.

While they were thankfully not at the property on March 10 when the late-winter tornado came terrorizing through Kankakee County, the elderly couple, nonetheless, has decided this portion of their life is over.

An overturned vehicle belonging to their neighbor directly south of them may have had a little something to do with their decision.

The vehicle is believed to have flown up to 100 feet from the neighbor’s driveway on that March 10 night and landed directly north of their home.

Lying upside down only feet from the house, the couple speculated the tossed vehicle could have played a role in the total elimination of their home’s upstairs level, which they added in 2008.

Heavy damage

While some segments of Sandbar Road appear to have little damage, this particular area in the 2000 block of South Sandbar sustained overwhelming damage.

Numerous properties will be in for removal before reconstruction can begin.

The Weber property, 2323 S. Sandbar Road, a property they have owned since July 1991, will not be rebuilt.

Douglas, 75, a retired Amtrak ticket clerk and baggage handler, and Martha, 84, a former 15-year Misericordia Home employee, are throwing in the towel.

On this particular day, they and a son-in-law were scouring through as much of the property as they could on a make-shift salvage mission, placing saved items in the rear of their vehicle which expressed their fondness for this location.

The vehicle had a vanity license plate which read: Fish n K 3.

“We were attracted by the Kankakee River and fishing,” Douglas said. Neighbors’ flying vehicles are not what they were seeking nor anticipating.

A nearby property being rehabbed only two doors north was nearly done being brought back to life.

The only finishing touch needed was its siding. Following the storm, that house as well was destroyed, as were several properties in this area of Sandbar Road.

The Weber’s plan to keep their lot. They have a grandson who would like to be able to pitch a tent and spend time fishing in the Kankakee River.

“This is a wonderful place. We are only 1 hour and 45 minutes from our home,” Douglas said.

This couple is certainly well aware that untold numbers of others are suffering far more than they are. After all, this was only a weekend adventure site, not a primary residence.

But, Martha said, enough is enough.

The damage inflicted upon this neighborhood, in general, and their property, in particular, far surpassed what they had anticipated as they made their way to Aroma Township on this Monday.

“I was thinking we would have to replace the roof. But this ...,” Martha said as her voice trailed off.

The couple said they survived three or four floods here. They rebuilt much of the structure over the years and floodproofed the home as best they could.

“But this is off the charts,” she said. “We’ve dealt with disaster here, but not like this. We fell in love with it right away when we saw it.

“In summer it’s quite lovely,” she said of the cabin and the property. “At least it was.”

Population exodus?

Kankakee County Board member Todd Sirois, whose District 1 seat includes much of Aroma and St. Anne townships, was still trying to come to terms with the destruction he has witnessed.

He said the reconstruction of this area will take years to complete. He is unsure of how many people will even be willing to still call this area home.

After having toured this area on Monday, he cannot come up with proper words to describe what he has viewed.

“It’s heartbreaking when you see what has been lost,” he said. “It’s hard to even fathom.”

While many property owners are clawing through rubble to retrieve belongings, Sirois wonders what this once-thriving community will become.

He noted there are at least 50 houses destroyed or severely damaged. He said the loss of the tree canopy, which was nearly ready to return as spring arrives, will be lost for years to come.

“The tornado will have changed the entire look of Waldron. It will probably never look the same,” he said. “You hope in a couple years everything will go back to normal, but I don’t think that’s realistic.”

Could there be significant population loss? Kankakee County Board Chairman Matthew Alexander-Hildebrand said that is a topic for another day. The current focus is helping those impacted.

“From my perspective it’s too soon to comment on that. In due time I could answer that better,” he said.

Sirois wished there was a timeline that would indicate when Waldron would return to what is was. He knows such a timeline does not exist.

He is hoping others don’t pack up and leave this area with vacant lots.

“I’m afraid of a population exodus. ... I can foresee people leaving. It’s going to take people a long time to pick up the pieces.

“It’s terrible. It’s just devastating.”

A fundraiser to benefit those impacted on Sandbar Road has been started by Aroma Park resident Ashley Cantrell. To contribute, visit GoFundMe.com and search “Support Sandbar Road Families After Tornado Devastation.”

For a list of resources and other ways to help, see that story on here on Shaw Local.