Illinois Man Filmed a Monster Tornado that Destroyed His Home
It's one of the ultimate teachable moments of why you never try to capture video of a tornado headed your direction. It's a now legendary video of an Illinois man who filmed a monster twister just moments before it destroyed his home and killed his wife.
It's been over 6 years ago now since an EF4 tornado destroyed much of Fairdale, Illinois. Out of respect to the family, I will not include the man's name. It was April of 2015 when he heard the storm approaching his home. Instead of seeking shelter, he grabbed his phone. This was the video he recorded including the seconds before the tornado injured him, destroyed his home and took the life of his wife.
The National Weather Service has documented that tragic day. The tornado that hit this man's home and family had wind speeds recorded over 200 mph.
According to the National Weather Service records for that day, this EF4 tornado was on the ground for over 30 miles and was over 700 feet wide. It's no surprise that a monster wedge tornado like this did so much damage.
The Weather Channel shared a story about how debris from the Fairdale, Illinois tornado was found 80 miles away. One of the photos found 80 miles away was of the man's wife who was killed who captured this video. Another sad reminder to take shelter and let the professionals capture pictures and video when tornado warnings are issued.
