The pictures of Joplin Missouri speak to the destruction of what has been called the worst spate of tornados in a century. But while pictures of homes and vehicles reduced to smashed and unrecognizable wreckage may be sobering, what happened to Joplin teen, Will Norton, takes the oh crap to a whole ‘nother level.
Will and his father were heading home after Will’s high school graduation when the twister hit Sunday evening. His sister and aunt were in a car ahead, and were on the phone with Will’s dad when the men became caught in the deadly cyclone. They heard Will’s frantic pleas to his dad to get off the road, and then the phone dropped the call. Will’s sister, Sara, and their aunt, quickly jumped back in the car and headed towards where they knew their loved ones – and the tornado – were located.
Shortly they found the twisted wreckage, with Will’s father still inside, unconscious, but no Will. When he came to, Will’s father related that the twister had blown out both the windshield and the sunroof on their Hummer, and had picked up the truck like it was a toy. He had attempted to protect his son by throwing his arms around him, but the force of the battering winds was too much as Will’s seatbelt was ripped apart and he was yanked from the truck through the gaping opening of the sunroof. So far, he has not been located.
Power like that is almost unfathomable, and being wrenched from a car, while seemingly in the safety of a belted seat, seems almost like a movie fabrication. Our condolences to the Norton family, and hope that Will is discovered soon.
Source: [CBSnews.com]