A family barely escaped an E-F4 tornado that touched down in rural Ellsworth County during Saturday night's storms. But the storm, took most everything they owned.
Whether it was a large tree, or the smallest toy, nothing on the Patrick property was safe from the large tornado that bared down .
"I've never seen a tornado before in my life," said home owner Zoey Patrick. "And I never want to again."
Patrick, her husband and children, escaped what used to be a two story home. the family got out just in time to see the tornado destroy almost every thing they owned.
"We went east of our house and down south and when we pulled out our house we could see it," said Patrick. "It was probably two or three miles down that direction and it was probably at least an 1/8th of a mile wide."
There is not another home for almost a mile in any direction and still the tornado found this home. But so have the volunteers,showing up by the dozens to help the Patricks start picking up the pieces.
"I can not believe all of the people that have showed up...I don't know if they will ever know how much it means," Patrick said holding back the tears.
She is grateful that they all made it out alive and that most of their animals also made it through the storm. As for everything else said Patrick...
"It's just stuff I've got my kids...I've got my husband...It's just stuff."
Sunday was the Patrick's youngest child's fifth birthday and as a word of that spread, people have shown up at the house with cupcakes and gifts.
If you want to help the Patricks rebuild, you can drop off donations at either Lakewood Middle School in Salina where Zoey teacher or El Saline High School in Brookfield where her husband is a teacher.
