OTTAWA CO., Ohio — Ten months after a tornado ripped the roof off of Victor Harder’s Ottawa County house, the longtime resident is back home and celebrating a major life milestone.
“Everyone says, ‘How can you be so calm?’ And I say, ‘Because I’m still alive,’” Harder said.
Monday marked the 10-month anniversary of a June 15 storm that upended Harder’s life and home.
“I saw the dirt dervish with debris, spinning, coming across the road and the stuff. I thought it was stuff hitting the house. I said, ‘I think we better go,’” recalled Harder’s daughter, Vicki Rae Harder-Thorne.
Harder-Thorne was visiting her father from Illinois when an EF-2 tornado touched down on the property outside of Oak Harbor. The twister was on the ground for about 3.5 miles, damaging more than a dozen homes and displacing at least three families. Remarkably, no one was hurt.
“No human casualties, which to me is amazing,” Harder-Thorne said.
The storm did take a toll on property, including the home Harder built with his wife more than 65 years ago.
The tornado tore off Harder’s roof and littered debris in his kitchen. Heavy rain then ruined almost everything inside with exposure to the elements.
The damage was so severe the house needed to be entirely rebuilt. Take a look at the progress when News 5 returned in October.
RELATED: Rebuilding well underway 4 months after EF-2 tornado hit Oak Harbor
Even after close to six months living in a rental unit, the then 89-year-old was optimistic about the rebuilding of his home.
Two months later, major progress had been made in rebuilding the home.
RELATED: 89-year-old tornado survivor optimistic about rebuilding progress
At the first meeting with News 5, Harder said it was his goal to be back inside by his 90th birthday. He reached that objective, moving home in February.
Monday, he celebrated his birthday surrounded by family in the newly constructed house.
“I didn’t really care to get it this way,” Harder laughed. “How many 89-year-olds would have even redone it? So I feel pretty proud.”
The house features the same layout Harder and his wife chose in 1958. However, the disaster allowed him the opportunity to upgrade the floors, kitchen cabinets, and countertops and add a new picture window with a view of the wildlife habitat on his property.
Harder’s family surrounded him in the new kitchen to sing Happy Birthday Monday. They were then joined by Oak Harbor Mayor Quinton Babcock, who issued a proclamation declaring April 15 as “Vic Harder Day” in the village.
“It’s an official holiday,” laughed Harder.
After 90 years, a hopefully once-in-a-lifetime brush with disaster and months of rebuilding, he said he was grateful for a fresh start.
“I think the good Lord was watching over me for 90 years,” he said. “That’s all I can say.”
