May 26, 2008 11:30 pm US/Central
Residents Tell Tales Of Tornado Survival
HUGO, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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Only the laundry room was spared at Bruestle's home. He, his son and girlfriend were rescued from the wreckage.
CBS
The tornado scraped homes off foundations, carving up structures with the ease of a knife through butter.
"It hard, its home," said Dan Bruestle, a homeowner in Hugo.
Only the laundry room was spared at Bruestle's home. He, his son and girlfriend were rescued from the wreckage.
"We were still trapped in the basement, I thought 'It really must be raining really hard,'" said Bruestle.
The water pouring in was from the upstairs plumbing, which was sheared off.
Victims like John Vranyes brought their tales of survival to a meeting where city and state officials laid out plans for the clean up.
"Hard to believe it's all gone, yet somehow I was spared," said Vranyes. "There was no warning. Had no idea."
Amidst the devastation, you could hear gratitude again and again.
Vranyes was outside on his porch when the tornado hit. He hugged a wall and is grateful he carries a few extra pounds.
"I figured if I ran for it one way I'd be dead, and if I ran for it the other way I'd be dead so I just ran up against this one wall," said Vranyes.
Amidst the devastation on Memorial Day one woman saved an American flag. While fragments of lives littered the streets, many survivors said they are grateful.
"I think if we had been home we wouldn't have made it," said Jane Depert.
The carnage caved Depert' home on her basement, right were she and her family would have taken shelter.
"We've cried, but you know what? We weren't home, and that's really all that matters. We were so lucky not to be home," said Depert.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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