Article Lead Image

A firsthand look at the terror of being in a tornado’s path

Marc Wells was with his oldest daughter, Josie, in their home when the twister headed in their direction.

 

Michelle Jaworski

IRL

Posted on Nov 22, 2013   Updated on Jun 1, 2021, 1:21 am CDT

Six are dead and more than 1,500 homes were destroyed by an EF-4 tornado that went through Washington, Ill., on Sunday. The aftermath is tough to watch.

Marc Wells was with his oldest daughter, Josie, in their home when the twister headed in their direction. With a video camera in hand, he captured a few moments of the tornado before finding a safe place to hide.

When the tornado finally passed through their house, Wells came out to find his home destroyed. He struggled to describe it to his daughter, who still wouldn’t come outside.

What’s even more devastating than the visual of the utter destruction is the terror in Marc and Josie’s voices.

Originally uploaded to Facebook and YouTube, a reuploaded video later went viral on Reddit, landing on the front page.

H/T Digg | Photo via Donald Lee Pardue/Flickr

Share this article
*First Published: Nov 22, 2013, 2:25 pm CST