Ky. Tornado Survivors Speak Out as Death Toll Hits 64: 'I Kept Praying, Please Let Me Get to My Kids'. They had splinters in their skin. On the right, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday, Dec. 10. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The middle child, Avalinn, or Ava, had broken vertebrae in her back and was expected to undergo surgery Wednesday, Hooker said. Ava Rackley, 7, had huddled in the bathtub with her two sisters, 3-year-old Lonnie, and 9-year-old Annistyn. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home on Friday evening. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Hooker also said she talked to the girl's father. "We are believing for a miracle, so we are going to say that we are optimistic that she will pull through. "I prayed to Jesus for him to take care of me and that tornado spit me out into the mud," a 7-year-old reportedly told doctors. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. West of St. Louis, 84-year-old Ollie Borgmann, described as a sweet and typical grandmother, died at a hospital after a tornado on Friday blew the Defiance, Missouri, home she shared with her 84-year-old husband, Vernon, off its foundation. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, died, one of dozens killed in five states. Tuesday morning, ABC24 Memphis spoke with the children's father, Trey Rackley. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), AMAZON WAREHOUSE COLLAPSE IN ILLINOIS: ALL MISSING PEOPLE NOW ACCOUNTED FOR, POLICE SAY. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Trey's Jeep was probably a hundred yards from the house where it had been parked. In this undated photo provided by Sandra Hooker, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. We are so encouraged by the strength of and determination you have shown during this very difficult time, the letter said. Hooker said it was Annistyns favorite, and she called it Baby MawMaw. Market data provided by Factset. On the right, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday. All rights reserved. However, the entire Chicago area has seen heavy, on-and-off downpours throughout the morning. According to initial reports from the NWS Storm Prediction Center, a possible tornado was reported on the ground in Champaign. Designed by, INVERSORES! Legal Statement. "Then she said, 'Then I'll have to be the big sister to Lani.'". 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. (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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. (Stephanie Greenwell) The loss, it is exponential, Mandi Alexander, a long-time friend of Meghan Rackleys, said. Her father, Trey Rackley, a 37-year-old trucking company dispatcher, suffered cuts and bruises and remains sore and sometimes in shock, Hooker said. And it was like the house 'popped. Market data provided by Factset. At a young age, she was diagnosed with a rare liver disease that required repeated hospital stays. The other family members were injured but survived. "There are no words. Her husband and three daughters were thrown from the home, killing one of the children. 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. When all is said and done, forecast models show rain totals are likely to clock in over an inch, with 1.18 inches predicted at O'Hare International Airport. According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, steady, heavy rain is expected to continue developing throughout the morning, impacting roads and highways as commuters make their way to work. He wanted to turn over Annistyn's favorite blanket, thick as it was with mud stains after being found in the field. Then yesterday they took [Lani] up to the PICU and let [Ava] see her. Market data provided by Factset. A candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, and an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, were hit. We need continued prayers for Meghans improvement and getting her settled in a new normal when she gets to come home.. "All of them were absolutely covered in mud from head to toe," Hooker says of the immediate aftermath. Tight rotation in this area may produce a brief tornado at any moment. St. Charles County, Missouri police warning looters that trespassing and theft will result in prosecution as recovery efforts continue. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackley's grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. "And she did," Hooker tells PEOPLE, "right up till the tornado killed her. ", "Annistyn was bubbly," she said. Seven-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around in the tornado, Hooker said. But he and the youngest daughter, 3-year-old Alanna Little Lani are no longer hospitalized. "There was a lot of loud, loud noises and banging," Rackley recalled on what he felt and heard Friday night, minutes before the tornado made a direct hit on their home. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP). Annistyn also attended the same elementary school where her mom and Hooker teach. If you are interested in helping, CLICK HERE. "Sometime during this conversation, she Snapchatted that picture of the girls in the tub. BRAGADOCCIO, Mo. Trey and his youngest daughter survived, but the impact left his wife Meghan in a coma in a Missouri hospital, his 7-year-old daughter in a Memphis hospital, and claimed the life of his oldest daughter, Annistyn. The other family members were injured, but survived. The great aunt of a nine-year-old Missouri girl killed last week in the deadly tornado outbreak across the Midwest shared the moments leading up to the tragedy in an emotional "Fox & Friends" interview Wednesday. The trees in the front yard were uprooted. 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. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Several hours later, the Tornado watches and warnings were issued. Here's why. She told 'em yes. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), Memphis LGBTQ+ activists protest Gov. On the right, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. She said she bonded with Annistyn during doctors visits and blood draws and said the girl liked to draw with chalk on the cement of her carport. 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. But she adds that finding those three specific, tangible pieces from the girl's life are a comfort. Our hearts are shattered over the loss of Annistyn, Proctor Moore said. Hooker also said she talked to the girls father. That tornado just spit me out and threw me in the ground, in the mud.'". Those included one in far western Joliet and one on the far north side of Naperville. Hooker said it was Annistyns favorite, and she called it Baby MawMaw. 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. 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. For more on the devastating tornadoes that occurred and other top stories, listen below to our daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day. The rain will subside in the evening, when the focus will shift to the wind, the NBC 5 Storm Team says, with strong gusts expected across most of the region. Mike Parsons office said that about 30,000 Missouri residents initially were without power. 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. She said she talked to the girl's mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Although widespread rain is expected to come to an end around noon, some isolated showers are possible in the afternoon. "The child psychologist came into the room and helped her grandmother tell her. This video is 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. Her father, Trey Rackley, a 37-year-old trucking company dispatcher, suffered cuts and bruises and remains sore and sometimes in shock, Ms Hooker said. Nikolas Lanum is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. And she didn't act like she was disabled or handicapped in any way. Gov. Hooker also said she talked to the girls father. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. ", "Trey said Lani had gotten out of the tub and he got on top of her, on the floor," adds Hooker. So God gave us a miracle with Anni. A tornado hit her home and splintered it less than a week after the family had moved in, and, according to the relative who received the photo of the girl in the bathtub, it carried family members dozens of yards before dropping them in a muddy field. 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