Two people died in the storms there, another in Sullivan County. At least two tornados were involved.

Residents in Kirksville made their way through the wreckage Thursday.

"We were stuck in the basement and some of our neighbors came and helped us get the door open," said homeowner Jerome Williams.

Williams planned to spend his Thursday mowing the lawn, but Wednesday night, plans changed.

"I went and looked out the front window and there was kind of a v-shaped cloud, not really a funnel but a v-shaped cloud headed right in our direction," Williams said.

At 6:05 p.m., a 1/2 mile wide tornado cut a mile and a half long path of damage across Kirksville.

"We didn't even get all the way downstairs before we lost our electricity," Williams said.

He and his wife thought this was their retirement home.

"We were figuring on this being the last place we'd build and we just about had everything fixed the way we wanted it," Williams said.

But with despair, came hope.

"We've had much, much support from everyone in the community, in town," Williams said.

"A small community isolated the way we are, we're used to handling things on our own. People are used to pulling up their bootstraps and just jumping in and doing things," said Kirksville Police Chief Jim Hughes.

Though his home is gone, Williams knows not all is lost.

"It won't be easy but we'll manage. We'll get by," he said.

Adair County officials say at least 60 structures received damage in the storm.

AmerenUE is still working to restore power to the damaged areas.