The boy that says I love everyone. That just gets me in the feels every time. Even though it’s mostly pitch dark I can visualize it. The way everyone is checking on everyone. Humanity at its finest.
can i have the timestamp plz? he is so nice to say that to those people that i doubt he knows :0 i would be scared out of my mind if this happened, i would be speechless
@@cancervegetable1718 starts at 3:30, iirc. Yeah, this brought tears to my eyes. I've been binge watching tornado footage of El Reno, Jarrell, Moore, and Joplin. This just hit different, idk why...I mean, it's all devastating.
@@culturebreath369 everyone here stayed out and safe. But your concerns are more reasonable than you’d think; this exact same thing happened in the walk-in freezer in a pizza place earlier in the tornados life, and the manager of the pizza place was sucked out trying to hold the door closed, and didn’t survive. Can’t remember what agency it was that did the report on the damage that happened to Joplin (was really similar to an ntsb report) but that’s where I found this info if you want to look it up, there’s a pdf somewhere out there.
I think this is one of the most beautiful documents of humans facing death. They didn't know they would live, but all their words were of love, concern for one another, and care for each other
I love this comment so much. It’s exactly what I thought. So much love and compassion for complete strangers. A unified human force facing ultimate nature. Yet the live they share for each other is unreal. I wish to see more of this.
It is beautiful. I really hope all these survivors kept in touch w each other. Or at least some of them. That is a harrowing experience they lived through that many can never fully understand until they’ve been through it. God bless them all, as well as all the others in Joplin that day, who survived, as well as the loved ones left behind that lost friends & family. 🙏🏻🕊
You are right that helped stop shock from happening. We can only hear the sounds from our speakers but if we were there with them it would have been a sound from hell.
"I love you". I know that's the last thing I would want to hear, while I was still here. I LOVE YOU TOO and I'm so glad you're okay. You saved lives and were so brave. Thank you for being you, Human. xoxo
I know what ur saying. I'm yelling back at him I LOVE U Too, so wanting him to hear it cuz I didn't hear anyone say it bck(I'm sure they did I just didn't hear). I hope u all crawled out of that hole a little stronger than before & can get over the trauma of that day or at least make peace with it so that u can carry on. Saying a prayer for u all. God bless. 🙏💕
That is an amazing person to tell people he loves them. That is what the last thing I would want to hear before tragedy struck possibly taking my life. ❤
Caelidh Goode it sounds like the whole world is crashing down upon them. Thank God for walk-in coolers that are built like bank vaults. Ever since this video came out, I know that I'm heading straight to the nearest gas station w/ a beer cooler if I'm ever caught out in a car during a storm like this!!!
@@deniserossiter1059 yeah but I don't understand why the Pizza Hut cooler didn't hold up? ... Was it built differently or is it just a case of luck plus God in the situations where it was safe. Thank goodness this city has created much more safe places after this event.
I am an Atheist, 100%. But anyone who insults someone for having faith, especially during a horrible disaster, is insensitive and missing the point of Atheism.
Thanks and GOD Bless you. I'd be doing the same if I was in her shoes. Just know that our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ loves us all,GOD loves us all. I hope you will repent. Take care.
Amanda I’m not trying to be an asshole at all but I’ve always wondered 1 thing about religious people. If there is a god, why would he let these things happen in the first place?
Trust me, I would've been the Jesus Jesus Jesus woman too in the situation! Her prayers could've very well saved their lives! I'm sorry anyone had to go through that.
Regi Amos it breaks my heart for all these people. I can’t watch this without shedding tears. When the roaring winds were so loud that the screaming was silenced was one of the most frightening things I’ve even watched.
There is a sequence in this video that many have overlooked. When all the people started rushing towards that beer cooler you can hear a mother say "Dod". In the midst of the chaos the mother couldn't find her son. Then another voice states "I got him". Now starting at 5:17 you can hear the mother tell her son "I'm here, I'm here". Then the little boy gave the most heart wrenching statement of this video. He says "Mommy, Mommy, I love you Momma".
I could hear her voice rising in worry until that person said "I got him". I could feel her heart sink with mine as I kept hearing her call his name. Fucking terrifying when you can't find someone you love amidst a tragedy.
You can hear the utter terror in her calls out to her boy. I cannot imagine....that Mother was separated from her child in a moment of pure horror. I don't how 20 people rushed into the beer cooler in the dark so fast and everyone survived. What a miracle!
The aftermath video in the description really highlights how lucky they were. The cooler they took shelter in was about all that was left of the building.
@Eddie Money No he's actually right, in a sense. While not, designed specifically for it, as a metal and insulated structure you have a MUCH better chance of surviving a tornado in one then you do outside of it. In a pinch, with no where else to hide, you should definately use it.
@Eddie Money there is a scientific study from I believe it was MIT? I can't remember off the top of my head that looked into why this miracle as your calling it happened and they came to the conclusion I just wrote above. That a metal structure, with insulation which freezers have, is a good defense. It's the same reason why they tell you to go to an interior bathroom because the rest of the house walls plus the piping in the wall, make the structure sturdier. Another example of this was in Briarwood school during Moore 2013. The teacher brought the students into a closet that happened to have cinderblocks with insulation poured through. The extra durability allowed the structure to last just long enough that the tornado passed over before the walls gave. They didn't say it was 100% and neither did I, but they also said, like I did, if it's your only option you should take it as it ups your chances of survival.
I’ve listened to this over and over and it still gives me chills. When the guy says “I think we are gonna do it!” And you can hear the clerk in the background when the tornado hits and it’s loud yelling “HANG ON!! EVERYONE JUST HANG ON!!” That almost makes you want to tear up
The part that's always gotten me in this is as the wind hits, that woman's loud, rising scream that's just cut off, it stops like a hand went over her mouth and then all the sound is roar.
i come back to this video often during my phases of tornado obsession, and it’s always gonna be the scariest to me. i love tornados and they fascinate me, but the raw first person perspective of this shows how horrifying and traumatizing it was. hope everyone is ok now
That was me who was screaming that. My name is Nathan Little and I was 7 at the time and this was the same day I was baptized. We went to the batting cages after I got baptized and then it started to get really dark and I was very confused because it was still the afternoon and I didn’t know what was happening. My mom and stepdad then turned on the radio and the guy was literally screaming on the radio about the tornado. When we got inside the cooler I was so cold and frightened, I thought I was going to die. I was sitting on my moms lap while screaming “I don’t wanna die.” Looking back at this when I’m 16, I can’t imagine what was going through my moms head. I’m so blessed to be here today
The rising scream cut off by the wind makes my breath catch in my chest, every time. That's not some hollywood manufactured horror effect, that is the genuine sound of another person in absolute terror. I've lived in Missouri my entire 34 years, seen lots of tornadoes and damaging storms, and I hope I can go at least another 34 without seeing anything like Joplin again. Go read the NWS and FEMA after-action inspection reports sometime. Their observations are incredible: Old growth large hardwood trees stripped of bark and all limbs flush with the ground, and in some cases snapped off cleanly at ground level. Streets stripped of their asphalt down to bare cement. Houses not only swept clean from their foundations, but their basements had their entire contents blown/sucked out, including several people. Cars left in WINDROWS like grass clippings Areas of fields where the very ground itself has been stripped down to the topsoil. Entire rows of steel fence posts bent flat over against the ground. Xray films from the destroyed hospital found nearly 100 miles away in someones yard later in the day.
I hate to add this comment but the worst audio is of the man on the phone with 911 up in the twin tower as it was falling. I only heard it once and I will never listen to that again. It is horrific.
That "Oh My God" right before the direct hit. Gives me chills every time. The shear fear of not knowing if you're gonna die. Has to be the most horrific feeling in the world.
Holy. Shit. Never in my entire existence have I watched something where I couldn’t see anything, but it was still absolutely horrifying. The roar of the tornado and the sound of that woman screaming for God, along with the sound of the windows breaking and the debris hitting the cooler... it’s like something out of a nightmare. I’m so glad that you all survived that. That sounded absolutely horrifying to go through.
Yeah I was in Hurricane Opal and her 4 baby tornadoes as a kid and I remember that sound. The freight train from hell as metal rips and twists and the air is whistling, then screaming. I actually cried listening to this and I was overwhelmed by that fear. It’s the longest shortest moment in your entire life and did that short time nothing else matters whatsoever besides survival. I heard the guys tell everyone he loves them, while others pray aloud. It’s a testament to the core of who we are and how we function, making something that’s terrifying into a baptism in its own right-reaffirming your love and spirit at the moment you need it most. This is one amazing video. I’m so glad everyone survived. ✌🏻
@@CaseyDrinkard that sounds so terrifying! I'm glad you are here now and that is badass that you made it. Also I loved hearing them say they loved eachother. It was beautiful in my honest opinion.
@@CaseyDrinkard I watch many many tornado videos but I never get how it sounds like a freight train. Maybe if I rewatch this because if I recall the Joplin tornado was a one mile wide rainwrapped ef-5 tornado so I may be able to notice it if I rewatch it. But I might be able to notice if I go through one irl
I've watched this video a dozen times or more over the years, and I think the most chilling part, for me, is around 3:03, when he says, "I think we're gonna do it"-like, "Brace yourselves, here we go." The weight of that inevitability is as powerful as the wind and violence. Incredible.
Reminds me of the plane crash where the plane inverted and right before striking the ocean upside down the pilot says "here we go." They all died instantly. Glad this had a different outcome
It’s amazing how caring everyone was, concerned with who is beneath them, asking strangers if they’re ok, declaring love for the whole group. I grew up in the Midwest and still think they’re the best folks anywhere
Whenever I'm feeling down or in a medical crisis, I ALWAYS watch/listen to this saved video, It really brings me to cherish what's important to me... so profound
Your life, your families lives and then every human being around you. Fuck your car your phone your wallet your house…worst cases your pets. Tornados can shred you to bone, I hope to never get steam rolled by one living in the Great Plains/mn/wi
I could hardly hold back the tears when the little one was saying "I love you mommy" heart breaking. Well done to those keeping everyone calm. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in the middle of that.
WOW, you can hear the thing coming as they're talking all casually...A slight roar in the background. This is the most amazing footage I've ever seen...even tho you can see much, the people voices give you all the detail.
we are 4 hurricane eye veterans who spent them inside a closet as our roof was torn off, the courage these people have to sit through a 5F tornado and survive is monumental, this is MUCH worse than any hurricane, God bless you and the people of Joplin.
Its amazing the level of disrespect shown in this thread to people who thought they were going to die. Whatever your beliefs are there is no reason to mock another. Another thing...tornadoes are sporadic throughout tornado alley. I live here. We had one hit in 1996 but not another one since. Is that a reason to "move away?" California has earthquakes/mudslides/wildfires, the East Coast/Gulf Coast has hurricanes...midwest has winter blizzards, etc.
Agree. But there's also no reason for a so-called "grown person" to get completely hysterical, even when your life is on the line. Panic not only spreads like wildfire but it's a good way to get yourself killed. Healthcare workers, firefighters and law officers HAVE to stay in control during life-threatening emergencies so it's very do-able. If you're terrified, that's understandable but don't scream your head off until you interfere with others trying to think clearly.
You can't help your fear response, and everyone reacts differently to trauma. Some people are "wired" to react calmer in some situations, others completely lose it. First responders are trained to stay calm, but the average person isn't. It's completely natural for a so-called "grown person" to get completely hysterical.
Jill Jones Yeah, lock yourself in a room with your biggest fear and see how rational you can be. If it’s not a physical fear, but more of an existential fear, imagine yourself being stuck in the situation you fear. It’s a normal and often uncontrollable response to your fear. Freaking out is just part of life, and even first-responders have their breakdowns
You don't know if those people are perfectly capable of acting rational either because YOU are NOT THEM... See what I did there? Now sit down and shut up.
Jill Jones have you ever been in a situation like this ? It's easy to make judgements looking in from the outside . Nobody can really say what they'd do until you're thrown in that situation .
This comment was obviously posted before 7pm, because on that very day an EF 3 went a few miles north of town and killed 3 more people. And man, it all came back.
@Ambivalent Trolls are a dime a dozen and a waste of humanity. Why can't it be people like you that suffers disasters instead of good people that brings happiness to those around them?
The apathy of some of these comments are astounding. How dare you condescend people who are calling on the power of their faith in a time of abject terror? It doesn't matter if you believe the same or not--you have no right to scoff at someone who is trying to deal with a life threatening situation in which they are virtually powerless. How awful to criticize the praying woman when in reality, you are a terrible, compassionless person.
A lot of people were praying. One woman was so hysterical she couldn't take care of herself, screaming her head off, interfering with other people keeping cool enough to think. How dare you condescend people who think that's unacceptable behavior for an adult? Everybody else was able to keep from acting like that, including the little kids and she could have if she'd really wanted to.
@@jilljones3664 Please, regale us with your extensive experience keeping your cool in sudden, life-threatening scenarios. Since you're an expert, I'm sure you can cite articles showing how screaming is a conscious, calculated choice in panic situations. Surely you wouldn't surmise the ability of people to keep their cool without sufficient peer-reviewed evidence.
@@lalaalalala She's a total loser looking for friends probably. She said the same crap a couple of threads up. Her empathy ranks lower than a tiger shark. Wish she'd go swimming with a few!!
Barely any video footage and still one of the most powerful videos I've ever seen.God bless you sir for saving 24 lives....so chilling to listen to this.thank God you all made it..a true miracle
@@fabiana7157 no I'm an actual atheist. I fully believe there are no gods. I also still say "bless you" after someone sneezes. It's perfectly fine to assume what you'd do if you were about to die but nobody actually knows until they're in that situation.
@@MegiddoTheImmaculate Tbh, I was mostly replying to the OP. And I also say stuff like "oh my god " or "god forbid" but they are just expressions that have become a habit. I don't use them literally either. And I don't know about that, I've actually had a dream about dying in a tornado and it seemed very real (my brain trying to knock some sense into me and stop me from wishing to see a tornado up close haha), and all I yelled was "no". In denial since I couldn't accept dying like that. Sure, real life might be different. But whether I'm panicking or quiet, I don't really feel the need to pray when I'm scared. So that's that. People are different
Imagine having to sit in a small fragile building when an EF5 barrels down on you and there is no safe place, this is exactly what they had to go through. This day will never be forgotten.
This is neither the time or place for debating theological views. These people endured something terrifying, incomprehensible & in this video you hear complete strangers coming together to protect and help one another through their terror. In situations like these, it would be easy to feel helpless and panic, do nothing at all, but you don't hear anything like that happening here. Bravo, Isaac Duncan, and those that were with you. You have my heart and you're in my thoughts now.
@@TuriGamer I don't think I've ever in my life heard a child crying and screaming "I don't want to die" or "I love you" because that very well could be the last thing they say. In my mind, the children screaming such things is what really got me.
I hear so much courage and compassion here. It is truly inspirational. The whole nation is thinking of Joplin today. Coming from Missouri, I know for certain the city will survive this terrible tragedy because people care about people. Wayne Brasler University of Chicago
I live in Missouri and went through training for a CNA position (I'm also a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) at a senior living facility just this week and during a discussion about severe weather preparations and procedures this particular story was brought up by the trainer. We were encouraged to look it up and wow did I get chills, especially when the wind really started roaring, nearly drowning out their screams. God bless the man who got these people to safety just in time. It turns out that their hiding place was the only part of the building left standing once the storm passed.
I get teary eyed whenever I listen to this. I like to imagine these people are bonded like you would never believe and still keep tabs on each other. ❤️
This is humanity at it's best. People are showing great love and care for each other; as well as profound faith in what might have been their last moments.
I'm from one of the hard hit areas in Alabama. I felt your fear. Infact, it's the first time since we were hit, I cried. My prayers are with all of you.
This was so hard to listen to... the little kids crying broke my heart. I live in tornado alley and experiencing a tornado is one of my biggest fears :(
Faby Ana not everyone can just up and leave the place that they currently live in. Especially if they’re children/adolescents living with their parents. Besides, I’m sure OP is still living her life the way most people do. We all have fears, but that doesn’t mean it should deter us of living a happy life. It’s all about having courage and taking action despite of having our fears. I totaled my car back in 2016 and am extremely lucky to be alive today; being in another car accident is one of my biggest fears, yet I drive everyday and never let that fear hold me back.
Listening to them screaming and crying of fear really breaks me in tears..I can’t even imagine the fear they felt at that exact moment. This is one of those events that you will never forget 🙏🏻
all the people asking one another if they're okay always makes me cry. that was asked so often after the fact, i remember trying to call all my friends in and around joplin to see if they were okay and i lost phone service after only one call bc everyone was doing the same thing.
It's the same few all the way through. Thankfully most of us have empathy and are genuinely happy this group not only made it, but have become a family!!
I watch a TON of tornado videos; I’ve gobbled up tons of documentaries and shows on them. I’ve been fascinated by them ever since I was caught in one in Alabama when I was barely 4. Thus, it takes a bit more to shock me. My jaw literally dropped during this video. I’ve never heard such a roar, sounds like a banshee straight from Hell. That Joplin tornado was in a class all by itself man.
I just want to tell you all how much this video moved me - you are all so brave and were so compassionate and concerned for one another- your patience and endurance and grace during this terrifying storm (I was so terrified just listening to the video!) moved me to tears. God bless each and everyone of you- you behaved heroically.
This is by far the most vivid and realistic tornado footage I've ever seen - I'm amazed that you were able to keep your camera going when it's obvious that you were all focused on trying to stay alive. Whoever had the idea to get people into the cooler at that moment probably saved everybody's lives, thanks also to the calm you all showed in getting people in there together. I've been through natural distasters before... this is no place for arguing about religion. Thank God you are all safe.
C'mon folks, can you not understand why a person might freak out when they're about to meet a violent end? I'm not even religious in the Christian sense but I use God's name (in both good and bad ways) all the time. I might take it up a notch or two if a tornado hit my house. The truth is you have no idea what you'll do in THAT situation until it happens. We all have different temperaments and that's a good thing.
Not one selfish jerk in this crowd. This was a great group of people in the face of death showing humanity and concern for one another. They must of all been so cramped tight into that cooler space crushing each other, holding tight to each other holding on for dear life. Once it eased up, they all kept checking on each other making sure they weren't hurting anyone as they slowly came out of a destroyed building. So glad to know they all made it out alive.
Watching this 10 years later. 2 of you were suggesting to go "into that room right there" and "into the cooler". Those suggestions come just seconds before everything started coming apart around you. it probably saved everyone in that place. Listening to this is still like a horror movie. The ultimate test of survival.
Have lived through several earthquakes, I lived through the 1994 California earthquake. This video is probably the most terrifying video I've ever heard. I am so glad you all are ok. I started crying. Just... speechless.
Thank you Ruben, the convenience store clerk who kept a cool head and saved so many lives. You kept everyone calm. 11 yrs later and I can still hear your fear. I'm glad you all made it. I hope all who were strangers are now friends for life. ❤️ To you
Sitting in shock with heart stopped. It's unassuming how your experience begins, casual, polite, kindness among strangers with folks preparing for what feels like a drill, then the terrible wind changes everything. I knew it would be bad from what I heard on the news, but to listen to your personal recording in real time as it happened-- horrendous. May each of you find peace and a way back to home. It will be hard, and it's unfair, but God you pulled through. Everything's different now. Hugs. x
I've seen this video so many times, and yet I always feel so many emotions i can't describe when I hear someone say "i love everyone. I love you guys" as the tornado goes through.
"Momma I love you" and calling out to Jesus...God bless these people....looks so scary! Is anyone under me? ohhh gosh they must of been packed in the cooler so tight. God bless the men who called out to stay calm.
i'm glad you guys made it out okay, i can’t imagine how terrifying that must have been. even though its been 5 years my hearts go out to everyone who had to face that tornado and i'm so sorry that you guys had to lose friends and family. i hope none of y'all ever have to go through something that awful again.
I am thoroughly humbled by how many times the question "is everyone okay?" was asked. May we all be as full of grace and concern for our fellows in a situation like this. Much love to everyone involved in this horrible incident. Stay strong, the rest of the country is behind you.
There is nothing truly more primal and terrifying that the full wrath of nature. It's powerful, unbiased. I cried, listening to this. The roar of that tornado is a sound I never want to experience.
These people were truly lucky to have survived. Watching the Joplin documentary they showed parts of this and what was left after it passed. They took a direct hit and the only thing left of that building was the leaning almost collapsed cooler they were in. I can only imagine how terrifying that must have been.
I have probably listened to this 100 times and I hear something different in it almost every time. God bless all these people for what they went through....
I have seen your footage many times. I love the proclamations of love of your fellow humans sharing this traumatic experience. I am so glad that everyone survived.
This is the single most chilling and moving piece of video and audio I have ever seen. The raw destruction and the raw emotion. The only video that even approaches the severity of this is the Deputy Dinkheller traffic stop which cost him his life. I don't suggest going there if you can avoid it. When you consider the death and devastation taking place inside that tornado as it approached the Fastrip store it claws at your emotion. The psychological effects upon the survivors of storms like this is unfathomable.
This video gives me chills,you all were so brave and really kept things calm as possible.I cant even imagine the absolute terror you all went through.I am so glad you all survived.My heart and prayers goes out to your community.To the lady who was calling out "Jesus"I very much believe God saved you all.
this video made me cry at the part the guy starts telling everyone he loves them; there was something so profound and peaceful in the way he said it, it gave me goosebumps and then my eyes filled up with tears, both of sadness and of hope for all of them. Thanks for posting this video on youtube; it's so good to know that even in our hardest of times, in the biggest crisis of a lifetime, people still love one another.
"where do you want me to put everybody?" "... the beer cooler" -The answer that saved the lives of everyone in the store! This video is absolutely incredible. These people were so fortunate to have taken shelter at this particular business that had a walk-in cooler. That clerk was so smart to get everyone inside it before the worst of the tornado hit them. The sound of the building around the cooler getting decimated by the winds is just terrifying. It must have been horrific to live thru those four minutes. After the tornado, climbing out thru that small hole in the roof of the cooler must've been a really traumatic experience too. The smell of natural gas, mingled with the smells of topsoil and freshly splintered lumber must've been imprinted on their minds as they looked out at a thousand yards of now treeless neighborhoods in every direction. Having all of the familiar landmarks swept away while they took shelter in the store must've been so disorienting. I assume that the cars they all arrived in were destroyed and unusable. They must've all been given rides by friends, family, or complete strangers who ventured into the mile wide destruction zone. I hope some of them at least still keep up with each other.
This is the most important video I think I've ever seen. Thank you for having the courage to film this event. Even in the dark, we can see true humanitarian behavior and feel your fears and spirit. I live in the MidWest, too, and we know these things happen but as true MidWesterners, we WILL survive just like we always have, and we WILL rebuild and move on with our lives. God Bless You and keep you in His tender care.
@jephbennett I realize that this is something that you may not agree with, but it's called faith for a reason, friend. Sometimes it's all we have. The Third Person Syndrom that people talk about. Just let them be. And if you want to call for someone else, so be it. Those people in that video are the ones that faced this tornado, not you. If they want to call out their 2nd grade teacher's name for comfort, who am I to tell them that's wrong? No need to cast stones unless you've been there.
I am listening to this with my earphones on and it is simply terrorizing. Imagine it I was REALLY there. Wow. Thank the Lord they all survived. Unfortunately, a few years later, people sought safety in a beer cooler in the Moore, OK tornado and they did not survive-- including a new born. R.I.P.🙏🙏🙏🙏
The one thing you'll never feel is the wind pulling at you, sweeping you away to god knows where while it pelts you at 200mph with debris from god knows where and you wonder if the structure above you is about to collapse.
I have watched this many many times over the years and it never stops being terrifying. If these people had not went into the cooler the very second they did, they would not be here today to tell their unimaginable story of survival. So many people perished in this horrific nightmare. But, being able to see humanity in those that survived, while they were going through this, is truly uplifting.
Praise God you servived! Thank you for sharing this. My family and I cried as we watched. The woman repeating, " Jesus, Jesus, Heavenly Father" said it all.
When they started saying "I love you" I legit broke down. I never cry, but that voice is not the one u hear in a movie. That was heartbreaking. Amazing everyone was ok.
the "I love all you guys" did it for me. Its the calmness in his voice. He was almost accepting he was in a complete crapshoot and it was up to lady luck. incredible juxtaposition between the people who believe in religion and those who don't. When that time comes, your mind just needs something, anything, to hold on to. Cut these people some slack.
From Tuscaloosa, AL---You ALL are in our thoughts and prayers as we have just faced this devastation ourselves. May God be with you ALL in the days ahead as you try to start to recover. Only Jesus can give you the TRUE comfort, peace, and strength that you will need to endure. After the storm, we have seen God work in the lives here of people that might not have otherwise ever been reached for HIM. For the ones who lost loved ones, our hearts break for you and we cry with you. May God Bless
This takes the cake but I also get chills in the “Josie” tornado footage. The dad is recording while Josie his daughter begs him to get in the house and into the bathroom. Then seconds later he shows half the house is FLATTENED!! Ahh it’s eerie.
This is a piece of history, honestly. Incredible. And a testament to how humans can come together and show love and care for each other in the most difficult of times.
The boy that says I love everyone. That just gets me in the feels every time. Even though it’s mostly pitch dark I can visualize it. The way everyone is checking on everyone. Humanity at its finest.
That has to be a weird kind of reunion to have or friendship to maintain through the years. Was this video featured in any of the major media stories?
What a bunch of heroes!! Can't believe what they want through! Glad they made it
can i have the timestamp plz?
he is so nice to say that to those people that i doubt he knows :0
i would be scared out of my mind if this happened, i would be speechless
@@cancervegetable1718 starts at 3:30, iirc. Yeah, this brought tears to my eyes. I've been binge watching tornado footage of El Reno, Jarrell, Moore, and Joplin. This just hit different, idk why...I mean, it's all devastating.
Love is all that matters at the end
That is my friend Ruben speaking. He worked at the convenience store. He helped save several people that day.
God bless your friend.
Good man.
Ruben was a great inspiration for me and was very “quick on his feet” to provide help and comfort to everyone in that gas station
Not all heroes wear capes 🤘
Was everyone OK?! That noise was scary.
"Stay calm, this is the end of it, just stay calm." God bless that man, he did amazing for all those people.
He is an amazing person!
Man, I wanted to hug that guy. What an angel.
Hw really did try so hard to be a good voice. These poor people... you can hear folks being ripped away... :(
@@culturebreath369 Everyone in the gas station itself survived.
@@culturebreath369 everyone here stayed out and safe. But your concerns are more reasonable than you’d think; this exact same thing happened in the walk-in freezer in a pizza place earlier in the tornados life, and the manager of the pizza place was sucked out trying to hold the door closed, and didn’t survive.
Can’t remember what agency it was that did the report on the damage that happened to Joplin (was really similar to an ntsb report) but that’s where I found this info if you want to look it up, there’s a pdf somewhere out there.
I think this is one of the most beautiful documents of humans facing death. They didn't know they would live, but all their words were of love, concern for one another, and care for each other
and they all survived
I love this comment so much. It’s exactly what I thought. So much love and compassion for complete strangers. A unified human force facing ultimate nature. Yet the live they share for each other is unreal. I wish to see more of this.
I was thinking usually when a person is scared, they yell some expletives. But when they're REALLY scared.. you get this :)
It is beautiful. I really hope all these survivors kept in touch w each other. Or at least some of them. That is a harrowing experience they lived through that many can never fully understand until they’ve been through it. God bless them all, as well as all the others in Joplin that day, who survived, as well as the loved ones left behind that lost friends & family. 🙏🏻🕊
He's lucky he was recording. The camera man never dies so if he wasn't recording it would've been bad.
5:17 "mommy!!"
"DOD, I'm right here"
"I love you mama"
Breaks my heart every time.
who the heck is dod?
@@iamspartacus6713 Dod was the kid's name the mom was asking for.
@@lilbit2870 ah sorry missed that,thanks for the info
pee pee and poo poo
shout out to the two guys keeping everyone calm.. much respect
You are right that helped stop shock from happening. We can only hear the sounds from our speakers but if we were there with them it would have been a sound from hell.
There was also a girl who said to get in the freezer right before the glass broke.
a m e n 🙏
@@jondoes8222 Yes, it would have been tremendously loud and much louder in a way we couldn't hear
Good dudes
"I love you". I know that's the last thing I would want to hear, while I was still here. I LOVE YOU TOO and I'm so glad you're okay. You saved lives and were so brave. Thank you for being you, Human. xoxo
I know what ur saying. I'm yelling back at him I LOVE U Too, so wanting him to hear it cuz I didn't hear anyone say it bck(I'm sure they did I just didn't hear). I hope u all crawled out of that hole a little stronger than before & can get over the trauma of that day or at least make peace with it so that u can carry on. Saying a prayer for u all. God bless. 🙏💕
That is an amazing person to tell people he loves them. That is what the last thing I would want to hear before tragedy struck possibly taking my life. ❤
You got that right! Also prayers!! ❤
This Is the rawest video I've seen of the Joplin tornado, that noise is terrifying
It doesn't sound so much like a train but a Roller Coaster!
Caelidh Goode it sounds like the whole world is crashing down upon them. Thank God for walk-in coolers that are built like bank vaults. Ever since this video came out, I know that I'm heading straight to the nearest gas station w/ a beer cooler if I'm ever caught out in a car during a storm like this!!!
It’s the best I’ve seen. Very intense.
@@deepspire ya
@@deniserossiter1059 yeah but I don't understand why the Pizza Hut cooler didn't hold up? ... Was it built differently or is it just a case of luck plus God in the situations where it was safe. Thank goodness this city has created much more safe places after this event.
I am an Atheist, 100%. But anyone who insults someone for having faith, especially during a horrible disaster, is insensitive and missing the point of Atheism.
Thanks and GOD Bless you. I'd be doing the same if I was in her shoes. Just know that our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ loves us all,GOD loves us all. I hope you will repent. Take care.
Amanda I’m not trying to be an asshole at all but I’ve always wondered 1 thing about religious people. If there is a god, why would he let these things happen in the first place?
The fact you have to state you are atheists is ridiculous
@@seanoreilly1832 the fact people need to assert their faith in the comments is equally rediculous.
@@R369B no it isn't. Because they dont
My mom is the jesus jesus jesus lady. It breaks my heart knowing what she went through
Your mother’s prayers are what saved everybody.
Pure terror. I couldn’t imagine. So glad they all made it out okay. PRAISE JESUS IS RIGHT. AMEN. Your mom is amazing 💕
Trust me, I would've been the Jesus Jesus Jesus woman too in the situation! Her prayers could've very well saved their lives! I'm sorry anyone had to go through that.
Thank God you got more time with her!! She was amazing!
Regi Amos it breaks my heart for all these people. I can’t watch this without shedding tears. When the roaring winds were so loud that the screaming was silenced was one of the most frightening things I’ve even watched.
It's so sad that they tell each other they love each other just in case.
And I bet today they don't even know each other lol
Wouldn't you want to be assured that someone cared about you if you thought you were about to die?
MrWolfSnack yes they do all 24 of them are family now The clerk did a video on it
When you experience traumatic and life threatening experiences with other human beings you are bonded for life! #fact
Amanda zen
That made me cry
There is a sequence in this video that many have overlooked. When all the people started rushing towards that beer cooler you can hear a mother say "Dod". In the midst of the chaos the mother couldn't find her son. Then another voice states "I got him".
Now starting at 5:17 you can hear the mother tell her son "I'm here, I'm here". Then the little boy gave the most heart wrenching statement of this video. He says "Mommy, Mommy, I love you Momma".
I could hear her voice rising in worry until that person said "I got him". I could feel her heart sink with mine as I kept hearing her call his name.
Fucking terrifying when you can't find someone you love amidst a tragedy.
that’s when i broke down
You can hear the utter terror in her calls out to her boy. I cannot imagine....that Mother was separated from her child in a moment of pure horror. I don't how 20 people rushed into the beer cooler in the dark so fast and everyone survived. What a miracle!
🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
The aftermath video in the description really highlights how lucky they were. The cooler they took shelter in was about all that was left of the building.
And the cooler's roof was only held up by the stacks of beer inside it. They must have been right near the core of the circulation.
rdfox76 They were. This was a miracle.
Walk in coolers are typically tornado proof, so if you are near one when a tornado hits just run inside the cooler.
@Eddie Money No he's actually right, in a sense. While not, designed specifically for it, as a metal and insulated structure you have a MUCH better chance of surviving a tornado in one then you do outside of it. In a pinch, with no where else to hide, you should definately use it.
@Eddie Money there is a scientific study from I believe it was MIT? I can't remember off the top of my head that looked into why this miracle as your calling it happened and they came to the conclusion I just wrote above. That a metal structure, with insulation which freezers have, is a good defense. It's the same reason why they tell you to go to an interior bathroom because the rest of the house walls plus the piping in the wall, make the structure sturdier. Another example of this was in Briarwood school during Moore 2013. The teacher brought the students into a closet that happened to have cinderblocks with insulation poured through. The extra durability allowed the structure to last just long enough that the tornado passed over before the walls gave. They didn't say it was 100% and neither did I, but they also said, like I did, if it's your only option you should take it as it ups your chances of survival.
I’ve listened to this over and over and it still gives me chills. When the guy says “I think we are gonna do it!” And you can hear the clerk in the background when the tornado hits and it’s loud yelling “HANG ON!! EVERYONE JUST HANG ON!!” That almost makes you want to tear up
Thank you for saying this. You said what I couldn't perfectly. I am sitting here weeping for these strangers. God bless them.
@@madamezimba1007 Me too.
The part that's always gotten me in this is as the wind hits, that woman's loud, rising scream that's just cut off, it stops like a hand went over her mouth and then all the sound is roar.
i come back to this video often during my phases of tornado obsession, and it’s always gonna be the scariest to me. i love tornados and they fascinate me, but the raw first person perspective of this shows how horrifying and traumatizing it was. hope everyone is ok now
the little kid saying he doesnt want to die breaks my heart so glad they all made it out alive Thank You Jesus!!
That was me who was screaming that. My name is Nathan Little and I was 7 at the time and this was the same day I was baptized. We went to the batting cages after I got baptized and then it started to get really dark and I was very confused because it was still the afternoon and I didn’t know what was happening. My mom and stepdad then turned on the radio and the guy was literally screaming on the radio about the tornado. When we got inside the cooler I was so cold and frightened, I thought I was going to die. I was sitting on my moms lap while screaming “I don’t wanna die.” Looking back at this when I’m 16, I can’t imagine what was going through my moms head. I’m so blessed to be here today
@@little.natedawg Damn. Hope you are fine
You should thank the people in the store that helped and tried to keep everyone calm and safe.
@@little.natedawg😢 I hope you're okay
This display of teamwork and communication skills is phenomenal. God Bless all of you for making it out of there okay!
3:02 that is perhaps the scariest freekin piece of audio I may have ever listened to. Holy crap. That made me have goose bumps!
The rising scream cut off by the wind makes my breath catch in my chest, every time. That's not some hollywood manufactured horror effect, that is the genuine sound of another person in absolute terror.
I've lived in Missouri my entire 34 years, seen lots of tornadoes and damaging storms, and I hope I can go at least another 34 without seeing anything like Joplin again.
Go read the NWS and FEMA after-action inspection reports sometime. Their observations are incredible:
Old growth large hardwood trees stripped of bark and all limbs flush with the ground, and in some cases snapped off cleanly at ground level.
Streets stripped of their asphalt down to bare cement.
Houses not only swept clean from their foundations, but their basements had their entire contents blown/sucked out, including several people.
Cars left in WINDROWS like grass clippings
Areas of fields where the very ground itself has been stripped down to the topsoil.
Entire rows of steel fence posts bent flat over against the ground.
Xray films from the destroyed hospital found nearly 100 miles away in someones yard later in the day.
I tell you, the first time I heard this video, it scared the living daylights out of me. It’s even more terrifying because it’s so dark too.
Sounds like a rollercoaster. I would have passed out from fear.
I hate to add this comment but the worst audio is of the man on the phone with 911 up in the twin tower as it was falling. I only heard it once and I will never listen to that again. It is horrific.
That's 300mph winds of an F5 tornado.
That "Oh My God" right before the direct hit. Gives me chills every time. The shear fear of not knowing if you're gonna die. Has to be the most horrific feeling in the world.
Holy. Shit.
Never in my entire existence have I watched something where I couldn’t see anything, but it was still absolutely horrifying.
The roar of the tornado and the sound of that woman screaming for God, along with the sound of the windows breaking and the debris hitting the cooler... it’s like something out of a nightmare.
I’m so glad that you all survived that. That sounded absolutely horrifying to go through.
Hahaha your first sentence was funny..
@@rudymora8848 what
Yeah I was in Hurricane Opal and her 4 baby tornadoes as a kid and I remember that sound. The freight train from hell as metal rips and twists and the air is whistling, then screaming. I actually cried listening to this and I was overwhelmed by that fear. It’s the longest shortest moment in your entire life and did that short time nothing else matters whatsoever besides survival. I heard the guys tell everyone he loves them, while others pray aloud. It’s a testament to the core of who we are and how we function, making something that’s terrifying into a baptism in its own right-reaffirming your love and spirit at the moment you need it most. This is one amazing video. I’m so glad everyone survived. ✌🏻
@@CaseyDrinkard that sounds so terrifying! I'm glad you are here now and that is badass that you made it. Also I loved hearing them say they loved eachother. It was beautiful in my honest opinion.
@@CaseyDrinkard I watch many many tornado videos but I never get how it sounds like a freight train. Maybe if I rewatch this because if I recall the Joplin tornado was a one mile wide rainwrapped ef-5 tornado so I may be able to notice it if I rewatch it. But I might be able to notice if I go through one irl
I've watched this video a dozen times or more over the years, and I think the most chilling part, for me, is around 3:03, when he says, "I think we're gonna do it"-like, "Brace yourselves, here we go." The weight of that inevitability is as powerful as the wind and violence. Incredible.
Me too. I've come back to watch this time and time again and that line just sends chills up my spine every time. You put it into words so well.
Charlotte Moore 3:03 is the chilling part, I dont know how people survived in the cooler
I cried at that part. I wonder how all the survivors are today.
Reminds me of the plane crash where the plane inverted and right before striking the ocean upside down the pilot says "here we go." They all died instantly. Glad this had a different outcome
And I thought it was nearly over when he said that. Then it hits.
Hands down the best video to illustrate how horrific it is to go through a direct hit with a tornado.
This video brought me to tears.
It’s amazing how caring everyone was, concerned with who is beneath them, asking strangers if they’re ok, declaring love for the whole group. I grew up in the Midwest and still think they’re the best folks anywhere
Those were not strangers. Those were humans coming together as a speices to survive.
Whenever I'm feeling down or in a medical crisis, I ALWAYS watch/listen to this saved video, It really brings me to cherish what's important to me... so profound
Your life, your families lives and then every human being around you. Fuck your car your phone your wallet your house…worst cases your pets. Tornados can shred you to bone, I hope to never get steam rolled by one living in the Great Plains/mn/wi
I could hardly hold back the tears when the little one was saying "I love you mommy" heart breaking. Well done to those keeping everyone calm. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in the middle of that.
WOW, you can hear the thing coming as they're talking all casually...A slight roar in the background. This is the most amazing footage I've ever seen...even tho you can see much, the people voices give you all the detail.
we are 4 hurricane eye veterans who spent them inside a closet as our roof was torn off, the courage these people have to sit through a 5F tornado and survive is monumental, this is MUCH worse than any hurricane, God bless you and the people of Joplin.
Nice to see the bad comments have been flooded out by the good
Its amazing the level of disrespect shown in this thread to people who thought they were going to die. Whatever your beliefs are there is no reason to mock another.
Another thing...tornadoes are sporadic throughout tornado alley. I live here. We had one hit in 1996 but not another one since. Is that a reason to "move away?" California has earthquakes/mudslides/wildfires, the East Coast/Gulf Coast has hurricanes...midwest has winter blizzards, etc.
Agree. But there's also no reason for a so-called "grown person" to get completely hysterical, even when your life is on the line. Panic not only spreads like wildfire but it's a good way to get yourself killed. Healthcare workers, firefighters and law officers HAVE to stay in control during life-threatening emergencies so it's very do-able. If you're terrified, that's understandable but don't scream your head off until you interfere with others trying to think clearly.
You can't help your fear response, and everyone reacts differently to trauma. Some people are "wired" to react calmer in some situations, others completely lose it. First responders are trained to stay calm, but the average person isn't. It's completely natural for a so-called "grown person" to get completely hysterical.
Jill Jones Yeah, lock yourself in a room with your biggest fear and see how rational you can be. If it’s not a physical fear, but more of an existential fear, imagine yourself being stuck in the situation you fear. It’s a normal and often uncontrollable response to your fear. Freaking out is just part of life, and even first-responders have their breakdowns
You don't know if those people are perfectly capable of acting rational either because YOU are NOT THEM... See what I did there? Now sit down and shut up.
Jill Jones have you ever been in a situation like this ? It's easy to make judgements looking in from the outside . Nobody can really say what they'd do until you're thrown in that situation .
don't need visuals the audio speaks volumes. exactly 8 years ago today this tornado ripped through Joplin.
today is May 22nd, 2019.
This comment was obviously posted before 7pm, because on that very day an EF 3 went a few miles north of town and killed 3 more people. And man, it all came back.
@@cowboysandindicas3635 coincidence? i think not!
@@debilcat1092 please explain. If it's not a coincidence I'd love to know because I still live here!
@@cowboysandindicas3635 i personally don't really know but it seems like it!
@@debilcat1092 it's admittedly possible I reckon.
The love and compassion and reassurance of those in this terrifying situation is everything.
Arguably the scariest thing I've heard.
@Ambivalent 😂😂😂😂
@Ambivalent Trolls are a dime a dozen and a waste of humanity. Why can't it be people like you that suffers disasters instead of good people that brings happiness to those around them?
The apathy of some of these comments are astounding. How dare you condescend people who are calling on the power of their faith in a time of abject terror? It doesn't matter if you believe the same or not--you have no right to scoff at someone who is trying to deal with a life threatening situation in which they are virtually powerless. How awful to criticize the praying woman when in reality, you are a terrible, compassionless person.
A lot of people were praying. One woman was so hysterical she couldn't take care of herself, screaming her head off, interfering with other people keeping cool enough to think. How dare you condescend people who think that's unacceptable behavior for an adult? Everybody else was able to keep from acting like that, including the little kids and she could have if she'd really wanted to.
@@jilljones3664 Please, regale us with your extensive experience keeping your cool in sudden, life-threatening scenarios. Since you're an expert, I'm sure you can cite articles showing how screaming is a conscious, calculated choice in panic situations. Surely you wouldn't surmise the ability of people to keep their cool without sufficient peer-reviewed evidence.
@Jill Jones
Until you experience this scenario for yourself, shut your ignorant fucking mouth. Fucking idiot.
@@jilljones3664 STFU!! They are all very close now. Appears the only ones bothered are trolls like you!!
@@lalaalalala She's a total loser looking for friends probably. She said the same crap a couple of threads up. Her empathy ranks lower than a tiger shark. Wish she'd go swimming with a few!!
The little kid crying saying he doesnt want to die breaks my heart Thank You Jesus they all made it out alive
Barely any video footage and still one of the most powerful videos I've ever seen.God bless you sir for saving 24 lives....so chilling to listen to this.thank God you all made it..a true miracle
Dude I'm pretty damn near an atheist but if this was coming at me I think even I'd pray. Stop judging them.
I'm a complete atheist and I'd probably pray in this situation too. Just to cover my bases because what else are you supposed to do?
I’m and atheist and I wouldn’t pray. It’s a risk I’m willing to take. 😜
Then you guys aren't actual atheists. More like agnostics
@@fabiana7157 no I'm an actual atheist. I fully believe there are no gods. I also still say "bless you" after someone sneezes. It's perfectly fine to assume what you'd do if you were about to die but nobody actually knows until they're in that situation.
@@MegiddoTheImmaculate
Tbh, I was mostly replying to the OP. And I also say stuff like "oh my god " or "god forbid" but they are just expressions that have become a habit. I don't use them literally either.
And I don't know about that, I've actually had a dream about dying in a tornado and it seemed very real (my brain trying to knock some sense into me and stop me from wishing to see a tornado up close haha), and all I yelled was "no". In denial since I couldn't accept dying like that. Sure, real life might be different. But whether I'm panicking or quiet, I don't really feel the need to pray when I'm scared. So that's that. People are different
I live in Joplin. Revisiting in 2018, I couldn’t help but cry. Love and mercy.
Never been but it gave me nightmares. God bless you.
This really made me unexpectedly burst into tears. I am comforted by how good everyone was to each other.
I know.....how sad is it that, seemingly, so much has changed in the 13 years.
Absolutely. Spontaneous tears
Imagine having to sit in a small fragile building when an EF5 barrels down on you and there is no safe place, this is exactly what they had to go through. This day will never be forgotten.
Those walk in beer coolers are pretty durable, thankfully this store had one.
This is neither the time or place for debating theological views. These people endured something terrifying, incomprehensible & in this video you hear complete strangers coming together to protect and help one another through their terror. In situations like these, it would be easy to feel helpless and panic, do nothing at all, but you don't hear anything like that happening here. Bravo, Isaac Duncan, and those that were with you. You have my heart and you're in my thoughts now.
"I love everyone, man"
That's what got me. More than anything else in the video. That voice in the dark telling everyone he loved them.
That dude was great.
The thing that gets me is the children crying.
@@TuriGamer I don't think I've ever in my life heard a child crying and screaming "I don't want to die" or "I love you" because that very well could be the last thing they say. In my mind, the children screaming such things is what really got me.
I hear so much courage and compassion here. It is truly inspirational. The whole nation is thinking of Joplin today. Coming from Missouri, I know for certain the city will survive this terrible tragedy because people care about people.
Wayne Brasler
University of Chicago
I live in Missouri and went through training for a CNA position (I'm also a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) at a senior living facility just this week and during a discussion about severe weather preparations and procedures this particular story was brought up by the trainer. We were encouraged to look it up and wow did I get chills, especially when the wind really started roaring, nearly drowning out their screams. God bless the man who got these people to safety just in time. It turns out that their hiding place was the only part of the building left standing once the storm passed.
even with the lack of visuals, this is going to be one of the most historic tornado videos ever taken
I get teary eyed whenever I listen to this. I like to imagine these people are bonded like you would never believe and still keep tabs on each other. ❤️
"I love everyone, man" ❤ 😥 ❤
3:34
This is humanity at it's best. People are showing great love and care for each other; as well as profound faith in what might have been their last moments.
I'm from one of the hard hit areas in Alabama. I felt your fear. Infact, it's the first time since we were hit, I cried. My prayers are with all of you.
This was so hard to listen to... the little kids crying broke my heart. I live in tornado alley and experiencing a tornado is one of my biggest fears :(
Hope your okay tonight.
If you're so afraid of them, move.
Faby Ana not everyone can just up and leave the place that they currently live in. Especially if they’re children/adolescents living with their parents.
Besides, I’m sure OP is still living her life the way most people do. We all have fears, but that doesn’t mean it should deter us of living a happy life. It’s all about having courage and taking action despite of having our fears.
I totaled my car back in 2016 and am extremely lucky to be alive today; being in another car accident is one of my biggest fears, yet I drive everyday and never let that fear hold me back.
Faby Ana nope. Not moving.
Faby Ana if you think I’ll leave tornado alley, think again.
Listening to them screaming and crying of fear really breaks me in tears..I can’t even imagine the fear they felt at that exact moment. This is one of those events that you will never forget 🙏🏻
This is unreal, so glad all of you made it. That tornado killed over 100 people.
162 :(
I come back to this video every so often and that young guy telling everyone that he loves them puts a tear in my eye every time
all the people asking one another if they're okay always makes me cry. that was asked so often after the fact, i remember trying to call all my friends in and around joplin to see if they were okay and i lost phone service after only one call bc everyone was doing the same thing.
The real disaster is the hate and mockery on this comment section. You want to see the fall of humanity?? Look no further....
It's the same few all the way through. Thankfully most of us have empathy and are genuinely happy this group not only made it, but have become a family!!
RUclips comment section is full of retards.
@@michaelgarcia2050 2020 had to pick it up to 11 regarding the idiocy of human beings.
I know this is an old video but I'm so glad everyone in this video was ok. What an awful, harrowing experience.
I watch a TON of tornado videos; I’ve gobbled up tons of documentaries and shows on them. I’ve been fascinated by them ever since I was caught in one in Alabama when I was barely 4. Thus, it takes a bit more to shock me.
My jaw literally dropped during this video. I’ve never heard such a roar, sounds like a banshee straight from Hell.
That Joplin tornado was in a class all by itself man.
I just want to tell you all how much this video moved me - you are all so brave and were so compassionate and concerned for one another- your patience and endurance and grace during this terrifying storm (I was so terrified just listening to the video!) moved me to tears. God bless each and everyone of you- you behaved heroically.
This is by far the most vivid and realistic tornado footage I've ever seen - I'm amazed that you were able to keep your camera going when it's obvious that you were all focused on trying to stay alive. Whoever had the idea to get people into the cooler at that moment probably saved everybody's lives, thanks also to the calm you all showed in getting people in there together. I've been through natural distasters before... this is no place for arguing about religion. Thank God you are all safe.
C'mon folks, can you not understand why a person might freak out when they're about to meet a violent end? I'm not even religious in the Christian sense but I use God's name (in both good and bad ways) all the time. I might take it up a notch or two if a tornado hit my house. The truth is you have no idea what you'll do in THAT situation until it happens.
We all have different temperaments and that's a good thing.
Not one selfish jerk in this crowd. This was a great group of people in the face of death showing humanity and concern for one another. They must of all been so cramped tight into that cooler space crushing each other, holding tight to each other holding on for dear life. Once it eased up, they all kept checking on each other making sure they weren't hurting anyone as they slowly came out of a destroyed building. So glad to know they all made it out alive.
That's why they survived. Love is a powerful form of energy.
They are so lucky to survive this beast of a monster tornado
Wow. That sounded terrible. My prayers go out to the community of Joplin. Hope they have a speedy recovery from this disaster.
Watching this 10 years later. 2 of you were suggesting to go "into that room right there" and "into the cooler". Those suggestions come just seconds before everything started coming apart around you. it probably saved everyone in that place. Listening to this is still like a horror movie. The ultimate test of survival.
Yeah it sounds like the workers just had people on the floor, and at the last minute realized the beer cooler was the only option
Have lived through several earthquakes, I lived through the 1994 California earthquake. This video is probably the most terrifying video I've ever heard. I am so glad you all are ok. I started crying. Just... speechless.
This sent a spine chillingly tingle through me like no other footage! feel so sad for everyone involved on that terrifying and traumatising night.
Thank you Ruben, the convenience store clerk who kept a cool head and saved so many lives. You kept everyone calm.
11 yrs later and I can still hear your fear. I'm glad you all made it. I hope all who were strangers are now friends for life. ❤️ To you
Sitting in shock with heart stopped. It's unassuming how your experience begins, casual, polite, kindness among strangers with folks preparing for what feels like a drill, then the terrible wind changes everything. I knew it would be bad from what I heard on the news, but to listen to your personal recording in real time as it happened-- horrendous. May each of you find peace and a way back to home. It will be hard, and it's unfair, but God you pulled through. Everything's different now. Hugs. x
I've seen this video so many times, and yet I always feel so many emotions i can't describe when I hear someone say "i love everyone. I love you guys" as the tornado goes through.
Listen closely to 1:19 to 1:25. It litteraly sounds like a horrific scream.
"Momma I love you" and calling out to Jesus...God bless these people....looks so scary! Is anyone under me? ohhh gosh they must of been packed in the cooler so tight. God bless the men who called out to stay calm.
i'm glad you guys made it out okay, i can’t imagine how terrifying that must have been. even though its been 5 years my hearts go out to everyone who had to face that tornado and i'm so sorry that you guys had to lose friends and family. i hope none of y'all ever have to go through something that awful again.
I am thoroughly humbled by how many times the question "is everyone okay?" was asked. May we all be as full of grace and concern for our fellows in a situation like this. Much love to everyone involved in this horrible incident. Stay strong, the rest of the country is behind you.
There is nothing truly more primal and terrifying that the full wrath of nature. It's powerful, unbiased. I cried, listening to this. The roar of that tornado is a sound I never want to experience.
These people were truly lucky to have survived. Watching the Joplin documentary they showed parts of this and what was left after it passed. They took a direct hit and the only thing left of that building was the leaning almost collapsed cooler they were in. I can only imagine how terrifying that must have been.
I have probably listened to this 100 times and I hear something different in it almost every time. God bless all these people for what they went through....
I have seen your footage many times. I love the proclamations of love of your fellow humans sharing this traumatic experience. I am so glad that everyone survived.
That poor little child... I'm in tears.. this is horrible.. hopefully all that where there in this clip are ok.. :(
From what I’ve heard, everyone in the gas station survived this.
It's better to hear people screaming than having complete silence...'cause thats when you know they were sucked.
^ This
This is the single most chilling and moving piece of video and audio I have ever seen. The raw destruction and the raw emotion. The only video that even approaches the severity of this is the Deputy Dinkheller traffic stop which cost him his life. I don't suggest going there if you can avoid it. When you consider the death and devastation taking place inside that tornado as it approached the Fastrip store it claws at your emotion. The psychological effects upon the survivors of storms like this is unfathomable.
Fun fact: those high pitched screams you hear at approx 3:16
It's not a girl screaming. It's the wind.
Literally the scariest tornado footage I ever saw. Bless all of you!
This video gives me chills,you all were so brave and really kept things calm as possible.I cant even imagine the absolute terror you all went through.I am so glad you all survived.My heart and prayers goes out to your community.To the lady who was calling out "Jesus"I very much believe God saved you all.
this video made me cry at the part the guy starts telling everyone he loves them; there was something so profound and peaceful in the way he said it, it gave me goosebumps and then my eyes filled up with tears, both of sadness and of hope for all of them. Thanks for posting this video on youtube; it's so good to know that even in our hardest of times, in the biggest crisis of a lifetime, people still love one another.
"where do you want me to put everybody?"
"... the beer cooler" -The answer that saved the lives of everyone in the store!
This video is absolutely incredible.
These people were so fortunate to have taken shelter at this particular business that had a walk-in cooler.
That clerk was so smart to get everyone inside it before the worst of the tornado hit them. The sound of the building around the cooler getting decimated by the winds is just terrifying. It must have been horrific to live thru those four minutes. After the tornado, climbing out thru that small hole in the roof of the cooler must've been a really traumatic experience too. The smell of natural gas, mingled with the smells of topsoil and freshly splintered lumber must've been imprinted on their minds as they looked out at a thousand yards of now treeless neighborhoods in every direction. Having all of the familiar landmarks swept away while they took shelter in the store must've been so disorienting. I assume that the cars they all arrived in were destroyed and unusable. They must've all been given rides by friends, family, or complete strangers who ventured into the mile wide destruction zone.
I hope some of them at least still keep up with each other.
This is the most important video I think I've ever seen. Thank you for having the courage to film this event. Even in the dark, we can see true humanitarian behavior and feel your fears and spirit. I live in the MidWest, too, and we know these things happen but as true MidWesterners, we WILL survive just like we always have, and we WILL rebuild and move on with our lives. God Bless You and keep you in His tender care.
@jephbennett I realize that this is something that you may not agree with, but it's called faith for a reason, friend. Sometimes it's all we have. The Third Person Syndrom that people talk about. Just let them be. And if you want to call for someone else, so be it. Those people in that video are the ones that faced this tornado, not you. If they want to call out their 2nd grade teacher's name for comfort, who am I to tell them that's wrong? No need to cast stones unless you've been there.
chrissalyn81 Amen. You got that right, Chris!
that is so traumatizing
whenever i just need a good cry and faith in humanity restored i come here. gets me everytime. glad you all were safe back then
I am listening to this with my earphones on and it is simply terrorizing. Imagine it I was REALLY there. Wow. Thank the Lord they all survived. Unfortunately, a few years later, people sought safety in a beer cooler in the Moore, OK tornado and they did not survive-- including a new born. R.I.P.🙏🙏🙏🙏
The one thing you'll never feel is the wind pulling at you, sweeping you away to god knows where while it pelts you at 200mph with debris from god knows where and you wonder if the structure above you is about to collapse.
I have watched this many many times over the years and it never stops being terrifying. If these people had not went into the cooler the very second they did, they would not be here today to tell their unimaginable story of survival. So many people perished in this horrific nightmare. But, being able to see humanity in those that survived, while they were going through this, is truly uplifting.
Bless you guys!! You all are heroes!!
Praise God you servived! Thank you for sharing this. My family and I cried as we watched. The woman repeating, " Jesus, Jesus, Heavenly Father" said it all.
When they started saying "I love you" I legit broke down. I never cry, but that voice is not the one u hear in a movie. That was heartbreaking. Amazing everyone was ok.
the "I love all you guys" did it for me. Its the calmness in his voice. He was almost accepting he was in a complete crapshoot and it was up to lady luck.
incredible juxtaposition between the people who believe in religion and those who don't.
When that time comes, your mind just needs something, anything, to hold on to.
Cut these people some slack.
Wow this is probably the freakiest audio I’ve heard on RUclips. 😳 Glad they made it!
From Tuscaloosa, AL---You ALL are in our thoughts and prayers as we have just faced this devastation ourselves. May God be with you ALL in the days ahead as you try to start to recover. Only Jesus can give you the TRUE comfort, peace, and strength that you will need to endure. After the storm, we have seen God work in the lives here of people that might not have otherwise ever been reached for HIM. For the ones who lost loved ones, our hearts break for you and we cry with you. May God Bless
3:05 by far the scariest audio of a tornado I’ve ever heard so far
This takes the cake but I also get chills in the “Josie” tornado footage. The dad is recording while Josie his daughter begs him to get in the house and into the bathroom. Then seconds later he shows half the house is FLATTENED!! Ahh it’s eerie.
This is a piece of history, honestly. Incredible. And a testament to how humans can come together and show love and care for each other in the most difficult of times.
Ten years ago today.
God bless everyone in this video.