Couple’s home devastated by tornado in Dawson Springs, KY
John and Sybil Meredith showed FOX Weather’s Robert Ray the rubble left behind by Friday’s tornado.
Couple shows home torn apart by storm in Dawson Springs, Kentucky
John and Sybil Meredith of Dawson Springs, KY barely made it out of their home alive during Friday night's historic storm.
DAWSON SPRINGS, Ky. — On Friday night, a tornado ripped through Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee and Kentucky.
One of the many towns devastated by the storm was Dawson Springs, a historic community in the Bluegrass State with a population of about 2,700.
"That's where my family's from," said Governor Beshear on CNN's State of the Union. On Saturday, Beshear declared a state of emergency after the tornado devastated parts of Kentucky.
"I've got towns that are gone, that are just, I mean, gone," added Governor Beshear. "You think you'd go door to door to check on people and see if they're okay — there are no, there are no doors."
Dawson Springs residents John and Sybil Meredith know this first-hand, having weathered Friday night’s storm in their home.
"It happened so quick — we’re just lucky we made it through it," said Sybil Meredith.
She and her husband John sought shelter in their walk-in closet when the tornado struck.
"We both hunkered down, had the dog in there," said John Meredith. "I grabbed a hold of the doorknob and shut it and held on to it. Next thing I hear is roaring, and I just grabbed a doorknob and held onto it. And then we felt the house moving and sat in there until it was done."
"It's a scary, scary feeling," Meredith added.
Their home currently has no roof nor electricity and debris is scattered all throughout.
"I know people went through more than we had," said John Meredith. "And you know, we're praying for everybody else to."
The couple have lived in the home for about 25 years and, depending on their insurance, hope to rebuild.
"It hits you heavy, just knowing, you know, what we went through, people all around us probably going worse than we are," said Meredith. "There have been lives lost."
"You're not promised tomorrow, but we made it through that night," added Meredith.