WEST TEXAS – A storm chaser not only captured a massive tornado that touched down in Hawley, Texas, on Thursday, but ended up saving a family of four whose home was destroyed by it.
In Freddy McKinney’s poignant live video, he shouts to the family: “Hurry up, come in!” as they run for their lives, begging him for help.
They headed to the hospital, which was miles away.
Kasey and Wes Lambert, along with their 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter, have various lacerations, bruises and fractures, but are otherwise well.
“We saw him hit our friend’s house and we went into the closet,” Kasey Lambert said. “We sat down and grabbed hands. What did we do? We prayed, ‘Please protect us.’ Bricks are falling on us. I look up. Our house is falling apart. »
She tried to hold her two children, but the wind was too strong.
“Lane was sucked in and thrown 25 feet,” Lambert said. “I remember screaming for him. I thought he was dead. I thought he was gone and I had already started crying. And I had the only fear I ever had as a mother , is not being able to save my child in a dangerous time and that’s exactly what happened.”
When the tornado passed over their home, Lambert said they were able to quickly find Lane and run to McKinney for help. If he hadn’t been there to take them to the hospital, she said she wasn’t sure her son would have survived because of the bleeding.
The Lamberts said they are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love and support from the community as they heal and clean up what remains of their home.
Several other homes in Hawley were damaged or destroyed by the tornado. The National Weather Service estimates it was likely a strong EF3 or a weak EF4, but the agency will need a few more days to review the data before making a final decision.
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Caroline Vandergriffe
Grub5
