Siblings huddle together as twister moves entire home

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Miraculous stories keep emerging almost one week after an EF 3 tornado tore through Columbus.

“I thought the house was gone. It wasn’t in the place it was supposed to have been,” said neighbor Angela Erby.

Erby said she made it home to 8th Avenue North in Columbus just 5 minutes before Saturday’s storm hit.

“I grabbed my granddaughter and I told my son come on, let’s get in the hallway because it said take cover. So it came, you know, the storm came and it was busting the windows out and everything and it came so fast. So after it was over, I heard the kids and I looked out the window, my front room window, I said ‘Chino the house is gone!’ I didn’t know that it had shifted to the back or however it got back there.”

As it turns out, the tornado moved Angela’s neighbor’s house in one piece several feet from its foundation.

Erby said there were 9 children in the home.

“They were running together and when I got them in the house, you know, some of them had bruises on them, and we thought the other girl had broke her leg. I think it might have been out of place or something, but you know, they were together…I brought them in the house and put them in the hallway because I didn’t know… was the tornado coming back or what?”

Erby says the mother of the children was outside in her vehicle when the storm hit.

“She was in the car, she couldn’t get out. She couldn’t get out of her car. The storm came so fast, you know, it’s just quick.”

Neighbors say the children were able to quickly prepare for the impact.

“I asked them where did they get in the house, and I said ‘did ya’ll get in the bathroom?’ She said no they couldn’t get in there. She said they had to come in the front room and they had to sit down together. You know, just holding each other. That’s what they told me.”

Erby also says it’s a miracle that all 9 children survived.

“I’m glad they were safe and everything. They did real good. They were together when they came out. You know, not scattered. They were together. Nobody was looking for anybody. They’re brothers and sisters… That’s how they bond.”

The family is currently staying in a hotel and did not want to comment at this time.

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