Despite Damage, Some Nappanee Residents Feel Blessed

by Ed Ernstes (ernstes@wsbt.com)

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Despite Damage, Some Nappanee Residents Feel Blessed

Kay Method stands in front of her home, damaged during the tornado that hit Nappanee Oct. 18, 2007. She says she and others feel fortunate that the tornado did not strike during the day, and that it did not hit somewhere that could have resulted in more injuries. (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Oct 25, 2007 at 3:33 PM EST

Story Updated: Nov 1, 2007 at 9:41 PM EST

(WSBT) On October 18, a tornado in Nappanee left a wide path of destruction. Close to 200 homes and nearly 60 businesses were damaged. Many there are grateful the damage wasn't worse.

One of those who feels blessed is Bill Anglin of Nappanee. He was among a number of residents who were inside their home when the twister hit.

The roof fell in on him and his family, but they were able to get out unharmed.

“That we could crawl out from out underneath all that rubble, without any scratches or anything, through all that glass,” Anglin told WSBT News. “God has definitely been with us through all this. If you are able to look through the tragedies, you'll see a lot of miracles that have taken place in all this."

As it turns out only five people were injured in the storm.

“There's really no rhyme or reason why,” said Chief Paramedic Jim Sumpter. “We had so many reports of destroyed homes, damaged homes, factories that were destroyed and at that point we prepared for the worst. It’s just amazing no one was killed.”

Others say they feel fortunate and blessed that the downtown was spared and that the tornado did not take a different direction than it did.

"If it had come straight north instead of going east, it would have taken the center of downtown,” said Nappanee resident Tom Lehman. “From where it started out a mile, if it had went straight north we would have had all of our downtown gone."

Kay Method's home was damaged during the storm.

She says she and others feel fortunate that the tornado did not strike during the day, and that it did not hit somewhere that could have resulted in more injuries.

"You know with it being at night, the schools were spared, the factories were spared,” she said. “Most people were able to get to their basements — yeah, lots of blessings."

Many say they're also grateful for all the volunteers who have helped in the past week.

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