Whiteland couple recounts rescue from tornado-ravaged home
WHITELAND, Ind, (WISH) — A couple in rode out the storm in their bathroom as the Whiteland tornado destroyed their home.
That couple as well as thousands more across the state are now in recovery mode following Friday night’s tornado outbreak.
The couple had recently celebrated their first-year anniversary.
The two say they held onto each other as their home collapsed.
Melissa Tippett said, “I don’t know how we managed to survive. I mean with the bathroom being in the center of the home was our safest bet. If we would’ve been anywhere else or even asleep, it would have been totally different.”
Clark and Melissa Tippett are holding onto their faith though they lost their home in the tornado.
Clark Tippett said, “The thought of God is still good. He’s still good in the valley, in the low parts of your life and everything else is replaceable.”
They got into their bathroom right before the storm came in strong and quickly.
Clark said, “We were right behind that door where the washer and dryer is. There’s a door there and a door on the other side and we were able to get through the other way.”
Melissa said, “Our adrenaline was pumping like fight or flight and it was just crazy just to think that everything that we owned and started our life on was essentially gone.”
The couple says a good Samaritan helped get them out of the rubble.
Clark said, “We heard someone, a voice, and kind of saw a flashlight going kind of all over. We don’t know who it was. We’ve actually never seen him before, but our door was mostly open, but a little bit jammed, but he was able to kick in the door and we were able to get out.”
Melissa said, “Very grateful, truly blessed that he went out of his way when he could have helped so many other people to kick that door so we could get out.”
The Johnson County Joint Incident Management Team on Tuesday asked the community to prepare for more severe weather over the next few days, such as knowing where to go when sheltering from a tornado.