As the tornado threw him outside, Rackley said he held on to his youngest daughter - 3-year-old Lani - and braced for impact. Tornadoes also roared through both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the St Louis area, as well as the Memphis, Tennessee, area and parts of Arkansas and Illinois. Hooker said that Annistyn Rackleys family hadnt yet unpacked from their move Dec. 4 from Caruthersville to their new home along Highway J, just west of the city. Just before 10 a.m., a Tornado warning was issued for central DuPage County, "with a thunderstorm capable of producing a brief spin-up tornado over Warrenville and After Ava reached a hospital in Memphis, Hooker said, she learned from family there that the young girl had told doctors and nurses, I was flying around in the tornado and I prayed to Jesus to take care of me, and he spit me out and the tornado spit me out into the mud.. Market data provided by Factset. (Summer Alexander/Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), Aunt shares tragic story of 9-year-old Missouri girl killed by tornado as mom fights for her life. She said she talked to the girls mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. The tornado picked up the trailer and tossed it into Rackley's house. Hooker also said she talked to the girl's father. You could just tell how much it affected her. Legal Statement. She loved dancing.. Fifteen minutes later, Sandra Hooker said, a tornado splintered the home, carrying the family members dozens of yards through the air into a field where first responders found them in mud. Annistyn also attended the same elementary school where her mom and Hooker teach. Annistyn was a bubbly little girl, her great aunt Sandra Hooker told People . By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Hooker said that Annistyn Rackleys family hadnt yet unpacked from their move Dec. 4 from Caruthersville to their new home along Highway J, just west of the city. Hooker teaches gifted students at the same elementary school where Meghan Rackley teaches kindergarten in Caruthersville, which is nestled next to the Mississippi River in what's known as Missouri's Bootheel region. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This video is Hookers account of what happened to the Rackleys came from talking to law enforcement and first responders who were at the scene after the tornado and found family members in the field. She loved dancing.. A MOM took a heartbreaking final snap of her daughter holding onto her favorite doll to show she was safe before a series of deadly tornadoes hit the Midwest. CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. Their house is splintered, she told The Associated Press. Legal Statement. To prove they were in their safe space with the storm approaching Friday evening, the girls mom texted her Aunt Sandy a photo of the three in and next to the bathtub all of them smiling, 9-year-old Annistyn holding her favorite doll. But she said Annistyn still was full of energy and delighted in donning outfits and makeup for cheer competitions and learning new dances from TikTok. ", "I believe she was an angel walking among us, because she was so kind and sweet and loving and caring, not just to me, but to everyone," she says. 7-year-old Avalinn Rackley broke her vertebrae in the same storm that destroyed her family home and took the life of her older sister.. After a successful surgery on Wednesday, Although much of the area will see rain, thunder, lightning and gusty winds, other parts will see stronger storms with damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour, the NBC 5 Storm Team says. Hooker said Annistyn's parents learned when she was 2 months old that she had a rare liver disorder in which bile ducts don't develop properly, sometimes making it hard to fight off illness. All rights reserved. She said she talked to the girls mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. Mike Parson's office said that about 30,000 Missouri residents initially were without power. Several hours later, the Tornado watches and warnings were issued. Meghan Rackley was hospitalized for several weeks after the Dec. 10 tornado hit her home. But she said Annistyn still was full of energy and delighted in donning outfits and makeup for cheer competitions and learning new dances from TikTok. But a devastating tornado that struck the area in 2006 had made the parents storm-aware, and even before the move, the family had designated safe spaces in their homes in case another storm approached. "Some rain could be heavy at times, and a few storms could be on the strong/severe side during the morning hours," NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman says. Legal Statement. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. To prove they were in their safe space with the storm approaching Friday evening, the girls mom texted her Aunt Sandy a photo of the three in and next to the bathtub all of them smiling, with 9-year-old Annistyn holding her favorite doll. A candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, and an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, were hit. She did cartwheels and splits in front of Hooker. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Meghan and Trey had discussed it. ", "Anni was a miracle," she says. "Then she said, 'Then I'll have to be the big sister to Lani.'". The trees in the front yard were uprooted. "But I do believe a miracles. Just before 10 a.m., a Tornado warning was issued for central DuPage County, "with a thunderstorm capable of producing a brief spin-up tornado over Warrenville and Naperville.". Lani, the youngest, was released from the hospital Sunday, but still with hairline fractures in her vertebrae, Hooker says. Annistyn Rackley, 9, poses for a picture while attending a cheerleading competition in Arizona. They brought Baby MawMaw to me, and Im cleaning her up so that Ava can have Baby MawMaw, she said. As the storm moves to the east, Monday after 12 p.m. is expected to be mainly dry, with a slight chance of isolated showers in some areas through the evening commute. Her husband and three daughters were thrown from the home, killing one of the children. A heartbreaking photo shows a young girl sheltering in a bathtub with her sisters moments before she was killed by a tornado as devastating storms ripped across the central US last weekend. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged across the country's midsection. Her father, Trey Rackley, a 37-year-old trucking company dispatcher, suffered cuts and bruises and remains sore and sometimes in shock, Hooker said. Ms Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackleys grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. Annistyn Rackley was at home with her mom Meghan, her dad Trey, and her two younger sisters when the tornado hit their home just east of Braggadocio. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. She was killed Friday night when a tornado slammed into her home in Caruthersville, Missouri, as she, her parents, Trey and Meghan Rackley, and her sisters, Avalinn, 7, and Lani, 3, sought shelter in the windowless bathroom of the residence they just moved into a week ago, relatives told the Associated Press. St. Charles County, Missouri police warning looters that trespassing and theft will result in prosecution as recovery efforts continue. A miracle recovery: Mother severely hurt in Decembers tornado released from hospital, Police investigating after student brings gun to school, NEA fares well at 5A State Swimming Championships, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Marmaduke girls beat Rison in 1st Round, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Bay boys beat Dierks in 1st Round, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Rector boys beat Acorn in 1st Round, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Earle boys beat Junction City in 1st Round. Loved ones said the Friday night storm in Caruthersville, Missouri - about 75 miles north of Memphis - killed nine-year-old Annistyn Rackley and put the mother, Meghan Rackley, in a coma. ", "He found Ava, and the 7-year-old is precocious and has, in my opinion, a near photographic memory," Hooker adds. There's some good news, though: temperatures are expected to be nearly 15 degrees above average, with highs in the 50s. ", "But Ava had been asking about her mother, 'Is mommy alive?'" "She said that she knew she was flying around the tornado and she said 'I prayed to Jesus for him to take care of me' and that tornado spit me out into the mud," Hooker said. Hooker said Meghan Rackley's injuries included broken bones, a brain injury and a large cut, and she's asking people to pray for the 32-year-old mother. ", Hooker recalls Ava asking her grandmother, 'Where's Anni? MISSOURI GIRL, PICTURED 15 MINUTES BEFORE TORNADO HIT, FOUND DEAD IN FIELD DOZENS OF YARDS AWAY, In this photo provided by Sandra Hooker, from left, Avalinn Rackley, 7, Alanna Rackley, 3, and Annistyn Rackley, 9, pose for a picture in a bathroom in their home near Caruthersville, Missouri. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday. Hooker said that Annistyn Rackleys family hadnt yet unpacked from their move Dec. 4 from Caruthersville to their new home along Highway J, just west of the city. The photo was taken by their mother, Meghan Rackley. One confirmed death in Missouri was a nine-year-old girl, Annistyn Rackley Her two sisters and parents survived when their house was destroyed by a tornado At least 88 people have died across five states as tornadoes ripped through multiple United States communities in the South and Midwest. Hooker said she and others are relying on their faith, especially after hearing what the surviving middle daughter Ava told doctors. Ms Hooker said Meghan Rackleys injuries included broken bones, a brain injury and a large cut, and shes asking people to pray for the 32-year-old mother. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Hooker said it was Annistyns favorite, and she called it Baby MawMaw. "When she got to the hospital and the doctors and the nurses asked her, do you know what happened to you? The entire Rackley family took refuge in their bathroom before a tornado-one of more than 30 storms that ravaged through five states-lifted the home and deposited it into a field. The National Weather Service says an EF-1 tornado caused that damage , which has left the family to count their blessings, despite extensive damage to their home. I would just gasp because she could do the splits all the time, and she would just laugh, Ms Hooker said. Tornadoes also roared through both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the St. Louis area, as well as the Memphis, Tennessee, area and parts of Arkansas and Illinois. Annistyn also attended the same elementary school where her mom and Hooker teach. In Pemiscot County in southeastern Missouri, bordering Arkansas and Kentucky, where the Rackleys live, the sheriffs office did not immediately return telephone messages Monday seeking comment about the storm that destroyed the Rackleys home. A heartbreaking photo shows a young girl sheltering in a bathtub with her sisters moments before she was killed by a tornado as devastating storms ripped across WebCopyright 2005, Towers Productions, Inc./The Weather Channel/Litton EntertainmentOriginally aired on August 25, 2005 on The Weather Channel. Meghan Rackley was hospitalized for several weeks after the Dec. 10 tornado hit her home. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Here's why. can you take me to see Anni? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "And he's been shaken terribly from the tornado. 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