Alabama tornado survivors describe harrowing near-death experiences
Smiths Station, Ala. — At least 23 people were killed including three children when a tornado hit Alabama. It's the worst tornado outbreak in the U.S. in nearly six years. Now, some are sharing how they survived.
Kim Serda is lucky, despite the fact mother nature punched several holes in her house.
"Everywhere you look there's a tree somewhere in or on my house," Serda said.
She survived by clinging to a shoe rack in her bedroom closet.
"I was on the phone with my mother, and I kept telling her I'm gone. I'm gone. I'm gone because I thought I was fixing to go through my roof," she said.
Luck was on 69-year-old Sam Cook's side too. He went to check on his 90-year-old mother-in-law and came within inches of death when a giant tree limb crashed on top of his truck just as he got out.
Smiths Station Mayor Bubba Copeland turned into a first responder Sunday night, pulling two women out of a collapsed house. He said it's a "miracle" they didn't lose anyone.
It's a huge miracle for the folks in the small town, now picking up the pieces and counting their blessings.