Jet crash victims move back home

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Residents of Mayfair Mews Apartment Complex are moving back into their homes after a F/ A-18D jet crashed at the complex on April 6.

The move in comes one day after the Navy received a final clearance from the  Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) at the crash site.

The Navy was waiting on that letter to give owners the final go-ahead to allow people to move back in.

"I am surprised that it has happened so quickly," says tenant Pat Kavanaugh.

Since then, it's been cleanup around the clock.

“I just want to cry, Marge Hovancik said. “I can't believe it. It was such a horrible thing,” Hovancik lived out of boxes in a hotel room for 35 days.

She's glad to be home, and her daughter, Christine, took video of her when she was looking around the apartment with belongings piled up in a corner.

“I see my home again,” Hovancik said. “I'm glad to be here. I want to sit in my favorite chair, and sleep in my own bed. My wonderful bed. It'll be good to be in my bed, again tonight.”

It took a jet crash to bring Marge and Christine together. The two haven't seen each other in nearly three years and Christine drove from New York when she heard about the crash. They haven't been apart since.

“I needed somebody as much as she needed somebody,” Christine said. “So God brought us together. It's been great.”

Paula Moran is also home.

“Life is a lot more precious than we think,” Moran told WAVY.com “It is when I stop and think that the plane could have come down on top of me.”

Residents say God's been out at Mayfair Mews a lot especially on Good Friday when the jet crash left everyone alive,

Colby Smith tells a different story. He's not returning to his apartment which was one of those destroyed.

“It's amazing they cleared it out so fast...all that's left is an empty lot where my home was,” Smith said. “It's just amazing there's just dirt. Amazing. There's nothing left, but dirt where my life use to live.”

WAVY.com asked Smith if given the chance would he come back to live at Mayfair Mews.

“I would come back to visit,” Smith replied after a long pause. “I'm not sure I would come back to move in. There's just a lot of memories, and it was somewhat traumatic. I think for me there are better places I can stay to put my mind at ease.”

Affected residents still have up to two years to file a claim. They are available online by following this link . Residents can also still call Norfolk Tort Claims Unit at 757-341-4583 with claims questions.

WAVY News 10 will be covering this story throughout the day. Stay with WAVY.com for updates on this story as they become available.