Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the deadly tornado that blew through the town of Jarrell, killing 27 people.
It was part of the biggest tornado outbreak Central Texas had ever seen.
- Related: The Jarrell tornado: 20 years later
Family and friends created a special memorial in downtown Jarrell to honor the lives lost. In attendance was Judge Bill Gravell, who was there the day the community changed forever.
“I remember seeing the volunteer firefighters walking arm in arm, walking into the sunset looking for survivors,” Judge Gravell said.
Kelly Carlson's family was one of the hardest hit by the storm. Her sister, Cindy Moehring, her husband Keith and their two teen boys, Eric and Ryan, were all killed in the tornado.
"That was a horrific day—unexpected,” Carlson said.
Earlier in the day, they had their own memorial, sharing stories and personal photos with neighbors. It’s through the photos that Carlson still feels connected to her big sister.
"Keith was an avid fisher, Cindy cleaned houses, a hard worker, the kids were everything to my sister--they were her life,” she added.
The wounds will never truly heal, but Carlson doesn't let that hold her back from coming to a town the Moehring family called home.
"Just being anywhere near here is hard, but we wanted to do this for them so people don't forget about them,” she said. “So, we're glad we're here."
The memorial reached beyond their relatives, even those the family never met.
Justin Parks, who is now a member of the Jarrell Fire Department, was just a child when the tornadoes ripped through the area.
"We always want to maintain that history and let everyone know what happened here,” Parks said.
Each member taking part to honor these lives forever.
"And continue to lay our eyes on the future and the good things that lay ahead,” Judge Gravell said.
If you would like to help Jarrell in their continuing recovery efforts, the Jarrell Fire Dept has set up a GoFundMe account.