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Closest HD video to the F5 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma 5/20/13

Jeffrey Lechus
1.23K subscribers
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1.4M views 11 years ago
I left work after hearing there was a tornado possibly developing on the west side of town. My 17 year old daughter was home alone and my son was at school 1 mile north. The tornado dropped down while in route. All radio stations were playing the local tv broadcast of the storm and it sounded like it was heading to my neighborhood. I exited off the highway and could see the top of it but it was still a couple miles away. I couldn't really tell if it was going more towards daughter or son. It was becoming more visible fast so I moved a half mile south believing to be out of path. I looked down that road and could see debris flying everywhere. I took off the opposite direction towards my house about a mile away. Avoiding other cars and going through red lights I noticed debris dropping down all around me and could see fast moving clouds to my left. I thought it had just passed me. My house was to the right so I knew it was clear but my so …...more
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Closest HD video to the F5 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma 5/20/13
10KLikes
1,474,455Views
2013May 21
I left work after hearing there was a tornado possibly developing on the west side of town. My 17 year old daughter was home alone and my son was at school 1 mile north. The tornado dropped down while in route. All radio stations were playing the local tv broadcast of the storm and it sounded like it was heading to my neighborhood. I exited off the highway and could see the top of it but it was still a couple miles away. I couldn't really tell if it was going more towards daughter or son. It was becoming more visible fast so I moved a half mile south believing to be out of path. I looked down that road and could see debris flying everywhere. I took off the opposite direction towards my house about a mile away. Avoiding other cars and going through red lights I noticed debris dropping down all around me and could see fast moving clouds to my left. I thought it had just passed me. My house was to the right so I knew it was clear but my son's school was still in path. I pulled over to call my wife and let her know daughter/home was safe and that I was heading to the school highly concerned. She screamed at me that there's no way it passed me yet. We argued a bit because I thought for sure it did. Right then it popped up. I told her I had to go and hung up. That's when I started the video. It was a complete adrenaline rush. Wasn't really to scared. I was on south side of it and they usually travel northeasterly. I did back up a bit while filming just in case. I felt a sudden overwhelming sense of fear for my son as the twister passed. The video does not do this monster justice as far as the enormity of it. That is why I didn't follow it and continue the video. I wish in the very least I had filmed the destruction that I passed through. To the right was a dead end so I was forced to go left. Several people who have view this video have pointed out to me that I used my turn signal there (lol). I had to drive over debris and power lines everywhere. I was blocked from the school by all the giant telephone poles laying across the street in front of school. I abandoned truck and ran to the school jumping over many power lines. Main body of school had some cosmetic and roof damage. The gym and some outside buildings were completely destroyed and many homes behind school were completely destroyed. No kids at that school were hurt that I know of... BTW. Really enjoy all the testicle comments! I never imagined in my life that my balls would be talked about like this. We get a good laugh at the comments. Keep them coming. It puts a smile on an old mans face!!! I have been contacted by news organizations in Japan, Russia, Canada, Mexico, England and all major ones in the U.S. I phone interviewed live on CNN and HLN. Many others wanted me to do TV interview but I did not accept. Just not my style and I doubt I would have done very well anyways. Just didn't feel like it was right to be TV talking about the video while people were still suffering.

Jeffrey Lechus

1.23K subscribers