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Arkansas Boy Scout builds bench in honor of his family killed in 2014 tornado

A central Arkansas Boy Scout is fulfilling his last major Eagle Scout requirement by honoring his family members he lost in a tornado in 2014.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — (KTHV) – A central Arkansas Boy Scout is fulfilling his last major Eagle Scout requirement by honoring his family members he lost in a tornado in 2014.

On April 27, 2014, a tornado ripped through central Arkansas, killing 16 people and injuring almost 200. Among those killed were 14-year-old Noah Tittle’s father Rob and two sisters – Rebekah and Tori.

"The storm in 2014 was pretty impactful and it just…I don't know…it was a pretty big day in my life,” Noah said.

Noah rejoined the Boy Scouts in 2015 after the tornado.

“Without a dad, I really needed to surround myself with some older men to help me grow into boyhood,” Noah said.

Before receiving Eagle Scout, Noah had to do a service project that benefitted the community. Noah chose to clean up the Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area near Pinnacle Mountain. The Nature Conservancy bought the land a few months ago where it was previously a horse ranch.

"It's a beautiful piece of property and they needed help moving some fencing and wiring,” Noah said.

Not only did Noah and a group of Boy Scouts and volunteers spend hours renewing the trail, they also built a bench.

"I decided I wanted to do something kind of meaningful, something that could last forever,” he said.

Noah built the bench in memory of his father and two sisters. They were killed in the direct path of the tornado in the family's home in Ferndale. 7 of the 9 Tittle children made it under the stairwell, moments before it slammed into their home, wiping it off the foundation.

Noah's mother Kerry said seeing the bench is sentimental.

"The Nature Conservancy is going to let us bring bulbs from the old property where the tornado was to plant around [the bench]," Kerry said.

She said she is proud of her son for staying strong and becoming the young man he is today.

"After the storm, I saw all these amazing men who were very supportive and said we'll support him! And they did…all the way to Eagle they supported him,” Kerry said.

Noah said the bench represents five years of healing, and hopes people will stop and take a moment to remember his family.

"It means a lot to me…it's something I built with my friends and something that maybe my kids someday will be sitting on,” Noah said.

Noah said in two weeks he will go back and stain the bench and add a plate with his father and sisters names. Noah’s two younger brothers, Asa and Joshua, are also involved in Cub Scouts. He hopes tp continue to be a role model for them and other scouts to come.

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