Mississippi family thrown by deadly tornado miraculously reunites with missing dog thanks to drone pilot
Hope emerged for a Tylertown, Mississippi, family when a drone pilot utilized thermal technology to locate their missing dog alive, leading to an emotional reunion caught on camera.
FILE – Drone video shows catastrophic damage in Tylertown, Mississippi, after tornado
Widespread damage can be seen in the Tylertown, Mississippi, area after a tornado hit the town.
TYLERTOWN, Miss. – Winds screaming past 170 mph tore through everything Curtis Bush held dear.
Miles away, the Mississippi father was on the road working at the time on March 15 when an EF-4 tornado roared through his Tylertown home as his wife and 17-year-old son were inside praying not to die, clinging to life under a pair of motorcycle helmets.
"She felt the floor lifting underneath her," Bush told FOX Weather. "The house just started coming apart."
TERRIFYING VIDEO SHOWS FAMILY RIDING OUT DEADLY TYLERTOWN, MISSISSIPPI, TORNADO
A tornado had torn through Tylertown, Mississippi, ripping the Bush family’s home from its foundation.
(Jason Miller/Raven 6 Rising)
The two were violently thrown over 100 yards as the storm's immense power ripped the walls from their home's foundation. It left them with multiple broken bones, requiring over a week of hospitalization. Beside them lay one of their beloved dogs – lifeless.
Adding to the devastation and their physical suffering, the fate of their second dog, a gentle, 11-year-old yellow lab named Linus, remained an agonizing unknown.
Days would pass until a glimmer of hope emerged thanks to the dedicated efforts of drone pilot Jason Miller and his company's thermal imaging technology.
Needle in a haystack
The sheer devastation in Tylertown was heartbreaking, Miller told FOX Weather, especially after the community was struck by two massive tornadoes within the span of an hour.
Days after the storm, his phone rang. It was the Mississippi Animal Project, requesting his expertise. Miller, typically a cinematographer and photographer for TV productions using drones, also employs thermal drones to help reunite lost pets with their families.
"There are moments that shake you to your core," he recalled, and this was one of them.
DEBRIS, FARM LIFE LITTERED ACROSS TYLERTOWN, MISSISSIPPI, AFTER DEADLY TORNADO RIPS THROUGH TOWN
In the violent chaos, two family members were thrown into their yard, both suffering severe injuries.
(Jason Miller/Raven 6 Rising)
Without hesitation, Miller loaded up his thermal drone gear and made the two-hour drive south from his home in Mesa, Mississippi. Ten days had passed since the storm, but a reported sighting of Linus reignited hope. Time was critical, and Miller was determined to do everything he could to bring Linus home.
HARROWING STORIES EMERGE FROM DEADLY TORNADO OUTBREAK THAT RAVAGED 13 STATES
Recognizing the immense difficulty of locating a single heat signature within the tornado's chaotic debris field, Miller embarked on a meticulous aerial search. For over seven hours, he flew grid patterns over areas where Linus had reportedly been sighted and across the ravaged remains of the Bush residence, scanning for any sign of life.
"A needle in a haystack," he explained. "Even a broken tree trunk itself gives a signature similar to what I'm looking for in a dog."
Finally, after an exhaustive search, the incredible news arrived: Linus was spotted alive near a Dollar General store, about 1,000 yards from where his former home once stood.
DRONE VIDEO SHOWS CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE IN TYLERTOWN, MISSISSIPPI, AFTER TORNADO
Miller's video captures the moment his cutting-edge thermal drone technology spotted Linus alive as the dog wandered through the town.
(Jason Miller/Raven 6 Rising)
Overwhelmed with joy, Miller immediately contacted the family in the middle of night, his voice filled with emotion. As Bush rushed to Linus's location, his heart pounded with anticipation for an emotional reunion that defied the devastation.
"Ten days and nobody had seen him. So you kind of lose hope," Bush said. "The community was constantly searching for him, and then Jason came in and was able to actually find him. It was a blessing."
A moment of pure emotion for Miller after finding Linus.
(Jason Miller/Raven 6 Rising)
After surviving two tornadoes and days of navigating his ravaged landscape, there stood Linus – a living miracle – seemingly more bewildered than his family surrounding him again.
"I was praying I could find this dog and help bring him home and give them some sort of peace back in their life, even though they've got years to go before they get back to where they were," Miller said.
Linus was all smiles after his reuntion with his family.
(Jason Miller/Raven 6 Rising)
Following the ordeal, Linus is now thriving and continues to heal. Miller stresses the stark reality of the catastrophe, urging people to take Tornado Warnings seriously.
"You really don't take it seriously until you see what you see on the ground and how much devastation they can do and how quickly they can change your life in an instant," he said.
In the face of unimaginable loss, Linus's improbable survival was more than just a happy ending; it was a radiant beacon of hope illuminating the arduous path to recovery for the shattered Bush family.