When the EF-4 tornado decimated parts of London, Kentucky, last week, many, like 23-month-old Parker, were asleep. His mother, however, was wide awake and listening as a killer tornado roared closer.
Due to an internet outage, Tara Hollifield said she didn’t receive the Tornado Warning on May 16 when the deadly tornado hit.
“For some reason, where we lived, we didn’t get any cell service,” she told FOX Weather. “So people were trying to message me telling me it was coming, but I wasn’t getting any of the messages. I heard it coming.”
Hollifield lived her worst nightmare when the tornado hit their home, and she couldn’t find her son.
“I didn’t know if he was dead or alive,” she said. “Thankfully, he was crying, and that’s how I was able to find him by listening, following his cry.”
Hollifield was able to reach Parker and pull him from the debris of their home.
Parker celebrates his 2nd birthday on May 30 and is doing OK after the storm. His mother was injured and has some scratches and bruises.
“For the first couple of days, I think, you know, it was a little rough on him,” Hollifield said. “Now, he’s acting like his normal self again, like nothing really ever even happened.”
Hollifield said after this scary ordeal, she plans to be more weather-aware. Nocturnal tornadoes, such as the London tornado, can be more deadly because they hit when people are least prepared.
The cleanup in Laurel County continues, with support from neighbors and around the country.
“They’ve been amazing,” Hollifield said. “When we’ve been there. There’s always been hundreds of people, helping people, trying to see if there’s any items that are salvageable, helping pick up debris. They’ve been out there giving food and water. The community’s been amazing.”
Nineteen people died during the tornadoes on May 16 in Kentucky, and 10 others were seriously injured.
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