VIDEO: One year ago, 145 mph winds tore through Chattanooga.
First responders jumped into action to help thousands and are now telling their stories of what they saw on that Easter Sunday.
"There were trees on top of cars on top of houses through houses, trees on top of trees," recalled Chattanooga Fire Department Battalion Chief David Thompson.
Areas like Holly Hills and East Brainerd were covered in tarps one year ago. Homes were destroyed and eleven people in the Tennessee Valley died, including an additional person in Georgia later on.
Thompson said it's something that's hard to forget. "I told my family 'I'll see y'all when I see y'all' and grabbed my gear and headed straight into work," said Thompson.
First responders left their families to save others.
Some lost as much as the people they were helping.
"I told him to get Mom, get downstairs and he said 'Son, the house is already blown apart,'" said Chattanooga Fire Department Battalion Chief Terry Knowles.