Oklahoma Couple Escapes Possible Tornado ‘by the Grace of God’

An Oklahoma couple and their pets got to safety in the nick of time on Friday when a possible tornado hit their community.

Shari and Dwain Short live in Ponca City, where video footage recorded outside their home shows the tense moments as the sky darkened and the wind whipped around their property, Fox Weather reported Saturday.

The clip shows Shari opening the door to what appears to be an underground storm shelter. The trees sway back and forth in the wind and the grey sky looks ominous as the couple prepares for the worst.

Moments later, Dwain is seen carrying a dog as he climbs into the shelter behind his wife. The second he tries to shut the door, the wind picks up. Dwain emerges from the shelter for a moment, then goes back inside as the storm hits.

Debris flies through the air, the camera shakes violently, and outside lights flash as gust after gust of wind hits their property and the surrounding community. A flash is seen in the sky seconds before the video ends:

In a social media post Sunday, Shari recalled how intensely frightening the experience was for them before acknowledging God’s hand in it.

“Friday night was one of those moments that will stick with us forever. Our community took a hard hit from severe weather, and by the grace of God, we were spared from any serious injuries. That alone is something I will never take for granted. Houses can be rebuilt. Fences can go back up. Cars can be replaced. But people… people cannot. And for that, I am so incredibly thankful,” she wrote.

It was believed that at least one tornado touched down in the area of Ponca City, according to KOCO. The severe weather caused damage to people’s homes, downed power lines, and scattered debris, according to News On 6. The outlet said no injuries have been reported.

“A tornado warning was issued overnight, but it has not been confirmed whether a tornado touched down. The National Weather Service is expected to survey the area to determine whether the damage was caused by a tornado or straight-line winds,” the article read.

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