Caledonia Tornado Eyewitness Account
Thanks to Brandy who posted this comment on the blog this evening. I thought I would go and put it on a separate post since the account was so riveting.
“Hello All,
I went to visit my sister in Caledonia, MS the day before the Tornado hit. We are from Florida, this is a trip we shall never forget. My Husband and I got up that morning, on my cell was a message from my niece saying to keep my daughter close to me because she had had a bad dream about her and to tell her how much she was loved. I thought it was a sweet message so I shared it with my Daughter and my husband and I left to go to the mall.
My sister allowed her children to stay home to visit with our children because they don’t get to see each other often. Like a lot of people in that area my sister resides in a mobile home. My husband and I were in the mall when we got word that a storm cell was in the area. Knowing we left the children there alone we left immediately to return to Caledonia. My husband discussed an action plan before we had reached the mobile home, my sister’s neighbor had a house and we would go there. We drove so fast we reached Cal-Vernon road in 22 minutes.
Just as we got in the mobile home 5 minutes passed and the power went out. The 4 children, my husband, and myself were talking and something sounded strange so I told everyone to hush. That is when we heard it, that sound that everyone verbalizes as the beginning when the wind howls as a rushing train about to derail in the middle of your livingroom. The next few moments were so frightening. My husband yelled run to the house. The next thing I knew I was out the door with the two girls running. My husband was behind with the two younger boys. When I seen the two girls were far ahead of me I yelled wait not thinking. All I could think was to keep my daughter close. As I turned my head to the right to look in the direction of the noise I seen metal flying and and large branches twisting in the air. I then yelled no run as fast as you can.
The neighbors house was about 75 yards from our door. It felt as though we were running in slow motion and I did not want to look back again because I was scared of our fate. As I reached 20 feet of the house I began to feel as though the wind was pulling me back and thought I was about to be swept away. The girls had already reached the steps of the back porch and I saw the neighbor on the porch with the door open ushering the children in, I ran as strong as I could and reached the porch. At the same time we left the house running this was my husbands experience. As he got 25 feet from my sisters mobile home he realized he only seen 3 children Our daughter and niece and our son but my sister’s son was not in front. So he turned back to see our nephew standing in the door frame of the mobile home afraid to run.
My husband gave my son a push and said run as fast as you can as he turned to go back for our nephew. He grabbed him from the steps and seen the tornado across the street. He ran as fast as he could catching up with our 7 year old and that was when he started to feel the pull of the wind. I believe he was half way there. He thought there was no hope. He said it was like running in place. My nephew said it felt as though he was a tooth pick and was going to fly away in the air. But thank God they made it. When we were all in the neighbors house we huddled in the kitchen as the hail began to hit.
It all happened in a matter moments but the memory will haunt me for a life time. I never want to see a tornado again. I want to thank the kindness of a perfect strangers who lived next door. If not for you we might of been hurt that day. My son became so emotionally sick from seeing the tornado he began to vomit. These strangers were so kind and we are so grateful. We are now home sweet home in Pensacola, FL and all I can say is I love my brick house!”
Category: Uncategorized