Woodridge Tornado Victims Counting Blessings Thanks To Quick-Thinking Boy Scout
WOODRIDGE (CBS) -- In the wake of Sunday night's tornado here, there are still plenty of downed trees and power lines, but dozens of people have been hard at work, making progress. Everyone in this area is also still without power.
The tornado toppled trees, destroyed homes, ripped down power lines and even caused some small fires in the area around Woodridge Drive and Jonquil Lane. Police say more then 100 buildings were damaged.
Remarkably, the family that was inside one severely damaged house is OK, in part due to the quick thinking of high school student.
"I feel good as ya can be, ya know? Everybody's all right. The house can be replaced. Things, people, can't be replaced." said Nathan Casey, a 16-year-old Boy Scout, who heard a crash upstairs last night.
He went up and saw the sky where a wall was supposed to be.
"Woah that's not supposed to be there." Nathan said
He then heard his 6-year-old brother crying and banging on a bedroom door. The door was stuck, but Nathan pushed it open and helped his brother get downstairs with the rest of the family.
"He woke up right when everything happened and started crying. But he couldn't get out. We heard him banging on the door so, we got him, thankfully he's all right seeing what the room looks like now." Nathan Casey said.
"They grabbed blankets and we were in the bathroom for awhile," said their mother, Bridget Casey. "The kids are fine and that's all that matters."
Like others in the neighborhood, Bridget Casey says she struggled to hear the storm because her ears kept popping.
"I don't know. They like they were just filling up with air like the atmospheric pressure was changing so quickly." said Kelly Warner, whose home was damaged. "We're just gonna try to help each other and get all this stuff off the houses so we can assess the damage."
Warner says she grabbed her seven-year-old and hid in the basement for what she describes as the scariest 30 seconds of her life.
She stayed in the basement for a full 45 minutes before she was assured the storm had passed.
It didn't take long for the neighborhood to jump into action and start picking up pieces.
The storm was three blocks wide and traveled three miles west to east. More than 100 people had to be rescued from their homes.
"The fire department told us to not even come outside because there were so many downed power lines," said Warner.
The Caseys are now leaning on each other, and they plan to stay with relatives tonight.
"How can you not smile or be happy when your family is here, and a wall can be replaced," said Bridget Casey.
Residents are rushing to those in need by dropping off cases of water for families or asking them whether they need anything from the store.
