Sanford, NC -- April 16, 2011 is a day many people across North Carolina will always remember. April 16 was the day 30 tornadoes tore through our state, killing 24 people and hurting dozens more.

One of those places hit was Sanford in Lee County, where two people were killed. One was 42 year-old Michael Chambers. The other, 43-year-old Michael Hunter, the cousin of our own Ed Matthews.

Overall, the tornado destroyed 100 homes in Lee County, 70 in Sanford alone.

A year later, most of the damage and debris is cleaned up, but much of that space is now empty. Some people haven't been able to rebuild and others don't want to live on the same spot where their homes once stood.