PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Amber Bryant has been the owner of AB's Training Facility for decades, starting the business in her garage and building into her fourth location on Somerset Boulevard. All of that was taken in an instant after an EF-4 tornado ripped it apart in May.
"It's very devastating seeing your basically home just gone and you never think it can happen to you until it actually does," said Paige Herrell, a cheerleader at the facility.
Addisyn Wilcher works, cheers and dances at the facility. Even though the facility was tore apart, having each other is what mattered.
"We can always come back to each other," she said.
Now, the cheer gym in Pulaski County has reopened in a new temporary location, and Bryant isn't letting a crack in the road tear down her dream.
"The funny thing is it was actually a Goodwill building," Bryant said. "We searched on Monday two days after the storm. I knew that I didn't want to go long without seeing my kids."
Even though it's small, Bryant is determined to make it home. One end of the gym is dedicated to vaults, with bars and beams all donated by Kentucky Gymnastics.
A whole Marley dance floor was donated by Fusion, and a new spring floor was donated by Brian Elza of Florida.
"The gym is kind of like a safe place," dancer Kendall Roberts said. "All of us after a long day we can just get together and go dance."
Bryant took LEX 18's Kayleigh Randle through the new facility, pointing out what each area would be dedicated to and improvements needed before the location can be entirely functioning.
"This is the area of course we've got, a small mess, but this will be the area for dance," she said. "We've got some mirrors up on the walls. We will eventually have a subfloor."
Herrell is excited to return to a place where she's able to craft her skills and "make new memories," she said.
Those who practice in the space are thankful to Bryant. For Ethan Bedemaugh, gymnastics has "made (him) more confident in a way in life itself," and that's all thanks to Bryant.
"Her gym for everybody is just a safe place, like for me I started dancing and cheering when I was like four or five and then from here on out I can't leave," Bryant's daughter, Justice Kirk, said. "Like i went to college and all of these things. It's just the atmosphere she has with all of these kids is incredible."
Bryant said that the dancers didn't let the tornado pause their competition weekend, either. The group competed the following weekend in May, winning every title possible; Bryant said that she's beyond proud her team for that accomplishment.
The facility located on Somerset Boulevard is nothing but a slab of concrete - but the studio, and the people who call the place a second home, will rebuild again.
"Keep your feet planted in the right roots," Bryant said. "Know that God is always there and he's gonna be there, he's gonna fight for you and to not let fear stand in your way."
