RICHFIELD, Wis. — An Indiana couple is pressing ahead with their wedding after a tornado tore through the Richfield backyard where they plan to exchange vows on Saturday.
Avery Miller and her fiancé Micah Rassi are getting married in her grandmother's backyard — a place Miller spent every summer growing up and where her mother also got married. On Thursday, the couple spent the day clearing fallen trees, branches, and limbs left behind by the storm.
"It's been a little bit crazy!" Miller said. "But we're getting through it!"
Watch: Tornado damage can't stop Richfield wedding this weekend, thanks to caring Washington County neighbors
Rassi said the tornado's timing was anxiety-inducing in addition to an already busy preparation week.
"It felt like a Murphy's Law thing," Rassi said. "Like okay we're getting married, and everything that can go wrong is going wrong!"
The couple had prepared for the possibility of rain, but not for the destruction a tornado would leave behind.
"Yeah," Miller said. "We did not really forecast for the trees being down and power being out."
Miller's grandmother Diane Sobotik said the storm hit fast and hard.
Sobotik said the damage, while significant, could have been worse.
"We only had like 10 minutes of this God-awful noise, blowing and everything," she said. "We came back upstairs, and it was dead quiet. Nothing was wrong!"
Miller turned to Nextdoor, a neighborhood social media app, asking for help and offering to pay volunteers who responded.
Neighbor Carol Endl and her grandson Ellis spent Thursday picking up sticks and clearing the yard — and refused any payment.
"I said it's fine!" Carol said. "We don't want to take your money; we just want to help you out!"
Endl said her motivation was simple.
"Because it's the right thing to do!" Endl said.
Miller said the outpouring of support from strangers left her speechless, with dozens reaching out online and in-person.
"Seriously," she said. "I'm blown away. I'm sure I'll have more emotional feelings about it once I have the capability to think past the next six hours in my day."
The couple said they're watching the forecast ahead of Saturday's ceremony, which could change, but one thing is certain—they're ready for forever together.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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