Rockford native goes missing in Tennessee floodwaters, wife pleads for answers

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WTVO) — A Rockford native is searching for her husband after he went missing during Hurricane Helene’s hit in Tennessee.

After Hurricane Helene’s devastation, many families are still recovering. One family in Jonesborough, a city 300 miles east of Nashville, is still desperately searching for a loved one.

Keli, 55, and her husband Steve Cloyd, 60, were born and raised in Rockford. They recently celebrated 36 years of marriage.

The couple moved from Rockford to Tennessee three years ago to begin a new adventure. What they didn’t expect was the terrifying moments of these past few weeks.

On September 27th, Keli went into work while Steve stayed home with their dog, Orion, and monitored Hurricane Helene’s steady approach.

“There’s a road that I take that gets pretty flooded, so he was concerned about that,” Keli said. “I promised him when I got to work, I would just let him know that I was there and got there safely.”

Keli said Steve was texting her throughout the day, sending pictures and videos of the state of their home.

“He’d start sending me videos of the house, saying it’s now becoming completely flooded,” Keli said. “The basement’s flooded, the top’s flooded and now he’s concerned.”

Keli said in between messages, Steve called her and said it wasn’t looking good. He said water had risen and the basement was “gone.” Steve then took Orion and headed for the Jeep that was parked outside.

Keli remembered Steve telling her the car wouldn’t start and that his phone was losing battery as well.

“He calls me and says, ‘I’m calling to tell you I love you, but I think it’s the end,'” Keli said. “And I said, ‘No, no, no, no, no, no, no.’ I have never heard fear in that man’s voice like I heard it that morning. And that crushed me.”

Keli has met with several national and local news stations, searching and asking for help. She said Orion and the Jeep were miraculously recovered, but there has been no sign of Steve.

“I’m thankful we got her [Orion] back,” Keli said. “She’s happy. She’s healthy. Now, if I could just find that missing piece: my husband.”

Keli’s two sons drove from Rockford to be with her and the family has stayed at hotels and an Airbnb in the meantime. The family has also started a GoFundMe .

Steve’s cousin, Jennifer Roser, still lives in Rockford and said Steve is a family man that never fails to put others first, and this was no different.

“Ultimately, I believe Steve saved Kelly,” Roser said. “She was insistent on coming home that Friday, insisting on leaving work and joining him at their home, but he told her to stay back. I believe had she tried to get to him, it could have been disastrous for her as well.”

Keli said search rescues and the community have been extremely supportive throughout what she described has been the toughest time in her life. She said no matter the outcome, she believes her and her family deserve closure.

“We know what every single person out there feels, and everybody deserves help finding their loved ones,” Keli said. “We obviously want our loved one back ten times more.”

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