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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Earlier reports showed the strongest parts of the storm likely to be in southern Kankakee county and into Northwest Indiana. Ms 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. '", Trey told her that the chaos sounded like a loud train, "and then he was up in the air, and trying to hold Lani. But she adds that finding those three specific, tangible pieces from the girl's life are a comfort. Her husband and three daughters were thrown from the home, Family and friends set up a donation drive to assist the Rackleys with medical expenses and funds to help them find a new home. "She was just that giving, caring young girl and all of that has been robbed from her," Sandra Hooker, Annisytn's great aunt, told ABC24 Memphis Tuesday afternoon. "And she'll never be forgotten by us.". "Their house is splintered," she told The Associated Press during a telephone interview. 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. "Sometime during this conversation, she Snapchatted that picture of the girls in the tub. The other family members were injured, but survived. Annistyn also attended the same elementary school where her mom and Hooker teach. Copyright 2022 KAIT. Example video title will go here for this video. Additionally, there were reports that a "brief tornado" touched down in DuPage County, and reports of wind damage from a "possible tornado in Kendall County. When Annistyn Rackley was born with a rare liver disease that required major surgery at just 2 months old, small-town Caruthersville, Missouri hard against the Mississippi River in the rural southeast corner of the state poured out its heart to raise funds for the family's medical expenses. 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. '", "They knew that this was gonna come," says Hooker. December 13, 2021, 9:16 PM. She said she bonded with Annistyn during doctor's visits and blood draws and said the girl liked to draw with chalk on the cement of her carport. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home on Friday evening. On the right, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. The other family members were injured, but survived. 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. Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackley's grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. Gov. 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. An extended Missouri family is grieving, after a tornado ripped through their home this weekend, claiming a young life and changed the lives of the survivors And he said he could hear it coming. "About 7:23, I texted Meghan and I told her, 'The storms are about 15 minutes away. Her father, Trey Rackley, a 37-year-old trucking company dispatcher, suffered cuts and bruises and remains sore and sometimes in shock, Hooker said. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday. Her mom and her dad encouraged her and supported her to live life to the full.". Market data provided by Factset. Her great aunt said that the diagnosis never held her back, and she was encouraged by her sisters and her parents to live life to the fullest. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. "We've talked about it several times," Hooker says. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), AMAZON WAREHOUSE COLLAPSE IN ILLINOIS: ALL MISSING PEOPLE NOW ACCOUNTED FOR, POLICE SAY. 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. Are the girls going to know? Trey's Jeep was probably a hundred yards from the house where it had been parked. A candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, and an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, were hit. 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. she says. "The child psychologist came into the room and helped her grandmother tell her. On Monday night, after family members who picked through the debris of the Rackley home found the torn front page of Annistyn's Bible engraved with her name, along with a doll she especially treasured, a Pemiscot County Sheriff's deputy knocked on Hooker's door. But he and the youngest daughter, 3-year-old Alanna Little Lani are no longer hospitalized. The family member is grateful for her community's emotional and financial support to date, as they pray the mother and elementary school teacher pulls through. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The Rackley family endures tremendous tragedy and heartbreak after a tornado ripped through their Missouri home on Friday, killing nine-year-old Annistyn and injuring her two younger sisters and parents. "Maybe she won't be forgotten too quickly," she says. In this photo taken Dec. 10 photo provided by Sandra Hooker, Avalinn Rackley, 7, left, Alanna Rackley, 3, and Annistyn Rackley, 9, pose for a picture in a bathroom in their home near Caruthersville, Missouri. 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. Hooker said Annistyns parents learned when she was 2 months old that she had a rare liver disorder in which bile ducts dont develop properly, sometimes making it hard to fight off illness. Annistyn Rackley, 9, poses for a picture while attending a cheerleading competition in Arizona. A candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, and an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, were hit. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. Hooker said after a prayer vigil Sunday, searchers in the field near the Rackleys' house found the doll that Annistyn was holding in the photo. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Seven-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around in the tornado, Hooker said. 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. The familys home was destroyed as they were carried into the air by the twister, landing in a field where She said she talked to the girl's mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. Ms 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 whats known as Missouris Bootheel region. According to the NWS, quarter-sized hail is also possible in those areas. 1:41. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP). And I texted her and said, 'The sirens are going off.' They brought Baby MawMaw to me, and Im cleaning her up so that Ava can have Baby MawMaw, she said. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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. ", "He found Ava, and the 7-year-old is precocious and has, in my opinion, a near photographic memory," Hooker adds. "They had abrasions and scrapes, bruises, lacerations, little cuts. 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. 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Lee's stance on anti-drag law, Man dead after pedestrian crash on East Shelby Drive, More storms expected today with severe weather possible late tonight, Everything you need to know to prepare for severe weather, Florida father & son killed on hunting trip during storms in Tennessee, Kentucky safety agency to investigate tornado deaths at candle factory, Federal disaster declared after deadly storms in Tennessee, 'Im drying them out trying not to cry': Tornado survivors salvage pictures, any memories after neighborhood wiped out. Ms Hooker said after a prayer vigil Sunday, searchers in the field near the Rackleys house found the doll that Annistyn was holding in the photo. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged Although widespread rain is expected to come to an end around noon, some isolated showers are possible in the afternoon. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Hooker called Annistyn Rackley a special angel, recalling the girl as outgoing and energetic despite a rare liver condition that required regular doctors visits. Seven-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around in the tornado, Hooker said. Le Bonheur Children's Hospital doctors are now treating Annistyn's younger sister, 7-year-old Ava, with surgery scheduled Wednesday to treat broken vertebrae in her back. 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. Here's why. ", "And then as she recovered, she said, 'Am I gonna die?' Ms Hooker called Annistyn a special angel, recalling the girl as outgoing and energetic despite a rare liver condition that required regular doctors visits. "When she got to the hospital and the doctors and the nurses asked her, do you know what happened to you? Mike Parsons office said that about 30,000 Missouri residents initially were without power. 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 whats known as Missouris Bootheel region. And she said, 'I prayed to Jesus to take care of me. "Where I felt like I was losing the grip on her and I let my phone go and I grabbed her and pulled her back in, and next thing I know we were dropped in a field," Rackley said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She said she talked to the girls mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. She said, 'I was flying around in that tornado.' Rain and embedded storms will continue, mainly this morning before activity diminishes in the afternoon. And that would be the safest place. "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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Missouri family took a direct hit from the tornado on Dec. 10. In this undated photo provided by Sandra Hooker, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackleys grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. She did cartwheels and splits in front of Hooker. However, that watch soon turned into a warning across Jasper, Newton, Porter and LaPorte counties. Annistyn also attended the same elementary school where her mom and Hooker teach. However, wind gusts near 40 miles per hour are likely to make things feel colder. 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. Lani, the youngest, was released from the hospital Sunday, but still with hairline fractures in her vertebrae, Hooker says. Legal Statement. 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. Here's why. She loved life and loved people," Hooker added. Sandra Hooker shares a photo of Annistyn Rackley taken minutes before she was killed in storm. 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. BRAGGADOCIO, MO. 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. "They brought in a specialist to clean the debris out of her eyes. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/jjEInxieGQ. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). "I would just gasp because she could do the splits all the time, and she would just laugh," Hooker said. (Dec. 13), A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. And we all agreed that they had an interior bathroom with no windows [in the new home]. See Heartbreaking Photos of the Tornado Devastation in Kentucky, Illinois and More States, Remembering Victims of Deadly Tornado Outbreak: Navy Veteran, 'Loving' Grandma of 4 and More, Texas School Shooting: What We Know About the Victims, Jason Crabb Invites Kentucky Tornado Victim and Viral Piano Player Jordan Baize to Play the Opry, Mo. Annistyn also attended the same elementary school where her mom and Hooker teach. 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. ", "But Ava had been asking about her mother, 'Is mommy alive?'" You could just tell how much it affected her. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged across the middle of the country. An extended Missouri family is grieving, after a tornado ripped through their home this weekend, claiming a young life and changed the lives of the survivors forever. "She was the best kid. WebCopyright 2005, Towers Productions, Inc./The Weather Channel/Litton EntertainmentOriginally aired on August 25, 2005 on The Weather Channel. Her nine-year-old daughter, Annistyn, was killed by the tornado. According to initial reports from the NWS Storm Prediction Center, a possible tornado was reported on the ground in Champaign. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged across the middle of the country. Our hearts are shattered over the loss of Annistyn, Proctor Moore said. 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