BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Three years ago, tornadoes tore across western Kentucky and claimed 81 lives. In Bowling Green, 17 people were killed, and 63 were injured.

“It was one of the worst days Bowling Green has ever seen in a single disaster," said Todd Alcott, Bowling Green mayor. 

Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power, and hundreds of homes and businesses were destroyed. One of those businesses was Rian’s Fatted Calf Meat Shoppe.

“I’ll never forget; it was on our alarm clock when the tornado hit the building," said Rian Barefoot, the shop's owner. "I think it was like 1:18.”

The tornado outbreak remains the deadliest on record in December, causing nearly $4 billion in damage.

"Our trailer that we had here was almost a block down the street," Barefoot said. "Windows were smashed in, stuff was hanging down and then water was just rushing through like Niagara Falls. I’ll never forget that water sound hitting the floor.”

The meat shoppe was closed for more than a year. Barefoot said it took 15 months to reopen.

However, millions of dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund have helped people rebuild. The U.S. Department of Labor also approved up to $25 million to help some Kentucky workers. 

Residents put more than 6,000 hours into rebuilding Bowling Green, Alcott said. 

“We’re resilient," Alcott said. "It’s a reflection of who we are and what our reflection is going to continue to do.”

Through resilience and a helping hand from the community, the family-owned business is chopping meat once again, now with an extra ounce of gratitude.

“I thank God," Barefoot said. "God is the reason why we got through it. I prayed to God that everything would be OK and doing that, he’s managed to turn everything out to be OK.”