Email This Story
Print This StoryRelated To Story
TORNADOES  Recap Of Weekend Storms, TornadoesTime lapse Speedway Camera Fast-Moving Storm In Lincoln County Forces People To Take Cover Chopper 9 Shows Path Of Destruction In Gaston CountyWEATHER RESOURCES |
Swift Tornado Slams Gaston County, Terrifying Residents, Leaving Trail Of Destruction
POSTED: 6:09 pm EDT May 9,
2008
GASTONIA, N.C. -- One neighborhood was hit especially hard during Friday’s severe weather.The tornado followed Armstrong Circle in Gastonia. It chopped trees along the way. Surprisingly, it appears no one got seriously hurt. Even a family with 10 children made it to safety.The mother, Mary Thierfelder, said, "I guess lucky is not the right word. We just feel totally blessed and that divine providence looked out for our family."One of the Thierfelders' neighbors, Marshall Wallace, said he thought his windows would shatter."You could feel the pressure of whatever was going on. The actual pressure of it was inside the house. You could feel it," he said.Marshall and his wife didn't waste time."I immediately just yelled at her and said, 'Come on, we got to go downstairs.' We grabbed the kids and started heading for the basement," he said.He said he lived through dozens of earthquakes in California, but this was more frightening.Another neighbor, Debbie Kneisley, said, "We're lucky. The house is there and we're OK."RELATED STORY: Gastonia Businesses Devastated By Tornado RELATED STORY: Tornado Damage Keeps Rescue Crews Busy RELATED STORY: Tornado Rips Roof Off Belmont Warehouse RELATED STORY: Tornado Blamed For Extensive Damage In Gaston County RELATED STORY: Storm, Warnings, Damage Shake Up North Carolina Neighbors
Copyright 2008 by WSOCTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
