Storm Delivers a Wallop to Area Farms
Published: Friday, March 20, 2026
Jill Bejes and her husband, Greg, hunkered down in their basement in North Judson with their twin 16-year-old boys, Braxton and Brayden, and two others at approximately 7 p.m. (CT) as news updates showed the trajectory of a deadly tornado aimed along a pathway directly in line with their property.
"My husband said to get some extra clothes and go down to the basement. I grabbed my wedding rings and some medicine," Jill said through tears. "I called my sister and said, 'I think it's going to hit us."
According Jim Troike, he just did what any typical Midwesterner would do. He stood by the window with his eye to the sky, watching as a storm blew in last Tuesday evening.
At about 8:20 p.m. he said the wind was blowing hard as the storm raced in from the west. Then, suddenly, all was quiet.
"It got really eerie out, you know? And I grabbed by dog and said, 'Let's go down to the basement," he said. "Then the house started shaking and it sounded like a train went through."
It was approximately 8:25 p.m.
Braxton Bejes said it took about 25 seconds for the tornado to blow through.
"There was no rain or hail. Just wind. It's just crazy what Mother Nature can do," he said.
Troike guessed the tornado went right over his house, causing minimal damage.
"It was close enough that all the trees in the yard were fallen in different directions," he said.
The tornado also hit two other Troike properties, including Troike Farms, run by his father, Bob, and a rental property.
"Last night I was a little train wrecky watching everything (I) grew up with get destroyed," Jim said.
On Wednesday morning, Bob Troike stood among the wreckage, surveying the damage on their farm, which took the brunt of the tornado's impact.
"We were just awarded as a Centennial Farm last year," Bob said as he sat beside a decimated cattle barn.
Luckily, no one was hurt.
The EF2, with peak winds estimated at 115 mph, spanned a width of 1,000 yards and traveled approximately 14.59 miles between Lomax and Knox in Starke County, according to the National Weather Service. It stemmed out of the same supercell that developed near Kankakee, Ill., which left two dead in Newton County.
The tornado developed about three miles northeast of the end of Wheatfield tornado, starting southwest of the intersection of U.S. 421 and C. R. W. 400 S. According to the NWS report, the cone-shaped funnel damaged pole barns, empty grain bins, irrigation systems, barns and homes, in addition to damaging trees. It crossed S.R. 39 near C.R. 150 S., hitting Troike Farms and continuing over S.R. 8 and C.R. N. 250 E. and dissipating southeast of the Starke County airport.
"The tornado has a few areas which suggested some multi-vortex funnels caused damage in the larger swath, which maxed out just over a mile wide," the NWS reported.
In all, the Troikes lost three buildings on their farm, including their hay barn and equipment shop, in addition to the cattle barn.
Troike Farms is home to 32 beef feeder steers and 35 fat steers, along with a cow-calf herd. As of last Wednesday afternoon, all cattle were accounted for, including a calf that was born just hours before the tornado.
"He might get called 'Twister' after this," Bob said.
A few of the cattle were left with minor cuts and scrapes.
The Bejeses lost a pole barn, which they had just finished building on Sunday. According to Braxton, it had been insured for about 12 hours before the tornado hit and blew it several feet over, wrapping around trees and just missing their 4-H animal barn. One window on their house was also blown out. No animals were hurt in the storm.
Jim noted the storm blew out windows and pieces of siding on his house.
Friends and family helped Bob and Jim clean up the farm and free cattle that were trapped under the downed structures. A neighbor has agreed to house some cattle until Bob decides his next steps.
Having had the farm in their family for over 100 years, Bob is reluctant to give it up and retire. However, he is considering downsizing his freezer beef operation after the storm took out his three major buildings.
"We're just blessed that nobody was injured," Bob said.
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