After a tornado in Kentucky nearly took her son from her, resident Tara Hollifield said she is thankful to God for being so lucky.
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — In a miracle of survival, one mother’s son is alive after being pulled from the debris of her destroyed home.
At least 19 people are dead and several others are injured after a tornado tore through Laurel County, KY, on May 16, according to Gov. Andy Beshear. Now, dozens of surviving Kentuckians are working to recover, including Tara Hollifield.
A dresser and a mattress were among the few remnants of Hollifield’s home after the storms tore it apart. She was in bed the Friday night before the storms hit when she was alerted by the sound of the wind and frantic texts from family.
Terrified, she realized the storm was headed straight for her home. She rushed to find her 2-year-old son, Parker, but the storm got to him first.
“You see it on the news and on social media, but you don’t ever think it would happen to you or your family,” Hollifield said. “I was scared to death. It flew me up into the air, and when I landed, I immediately got up and went to look for him.”
Miraculously, she found Parker in a pile of debris, mostly unharmed. After only a few stitches, she is back to holding him tight. Though she was unable to save her neighbors or most of her belongings, Hollifield considers herself lucky.
“The first thing I remember is when I got down, I really thought my son was dead, because he’s not even 2 years old yet,” she said.
Since the tornado, she has been travelling back to the ruins of her home to search for anything that could be salvaged. Among the debris, she was able to recover a few things, including a few of her son’s toys, clothes and a safe.
“We found an ultrasound photo, some of his toys… We have a safe with some of our documents,” Hollifield said.
While grateful for the discoveries, she said material things can always be replaced, but her family cannot.
“All of my neighbors that are around me are gone. It’s tough,” she said. “But I’m thankful to be alive. It’s a miracle to God that I’m standing here right now, for me and him both.”
Hollifield said she was able to find her husband, and she and her family are now staying with her aunt and uncle.
For information on how you can help the Laurel County community as they continue recovery efforts, click here.
