An elderly woman and her great-grandson are injured but thankful to be alive after being tossed into the air by Wednesday's powerful tornado in Gordon County.
Betty Stewart, 79, said she huddled in the hallway of her home with Zane, her 2-year-old great-grandson.
"She told him she was going to cover him up with a blanket, and he said OK," the boy's father, Daren McFarland, said.
In an instant, the walls around them vanished, shattered into a million pieces and were hurled into the sky.
Then Stewart and the young boy were also launched into the air. They flew over some large trees and right into the middle of Highway 53.
A paramedic was the first to reach them.
"They found them in the road. He was going to clear some debris and he heard her yelling for Zane, and they found them," McFarland said.
The house they had been in was completely leveled.
"Good Lord watched over them and protected them from all this, so they'll be just fine," said Matthew Volek.
Stewart has several broken bones and some head injuries.
"She fought the tornado and it lost, because she's still kicking," Volek.
Zane has a severely broken leg.
"He's in a cast from his ribs to his knees. For three months he'll be like that. It's hard to see. He won't be able to lie down for three months, he won't be able to get around or move around. But he's doing good. He's a miracle baby. He was born two months early and he fought through that and now he's fighting through this," McFarland said.
With two family members seriously injured and their house gone, the family has set up a fund in Zane McFarland's name at the North Georgia National Bank in Calhoun.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 10:48 PM EDT2013-05-22 02:48:00 GMT
Local families are taking a serious look at storm shelters in the aftermath of Monday's deadly tornado in Oklahoma.
Local families are taking a serious look at storm shelters in the aftermath of Monday's deadly tornado in Oklahoma. Those shelters could mean the difference between life and death when faced with one of these powerful storms.
A federal court has struck down Fayette County's at-large method of electing members to certain county offices, saying the method was a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
A federal court has struck down Fayette County's at-large method of electing members to certain county offices, saying the method was a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
Two Clark Atlanta University students who call themselves brothers despite being from opposite sides of the world have graduated as valedictorian and salutatorian.
Two Clark Atlanta University students who call themselves brothers despite being from opposite sides of the world have graduated as valedictorian and salutatorian.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 9:51 PM EDT2013-05-22 01:51:10 GMT
Just a few days after Mark Carson, 32, was killed for being gay, and only a few hours after a massive rally in the west village calling for an end to the anti-gay violence, it happened again.
Just a few days after Mark Carson, 32, was killed for being gay, and only a few hours after a massive rally in the west village calling for an end to the anti-gay violence, it happened again.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 7:17 PM EDT2013-05-21 23:17:02 GMT
For the first time since the death under mysterious circumstances of hop music mogul Chris Lighty nine months ago, his grieving mother is breaking her silence.
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Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:33 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:33:52 GMT
For 35 years, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has been bringing its brand of contemporary dance to audiences around the world. One of the company's frequent stops is the Joyce Theater in Chelsea where it
For 35 years, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has been bringing its brand of contemporary dance to audiences around the world. One of the company's frequent stops is the Joyce Theater in Chelsea where it
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:25 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:25:20 GMT
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and St. Regis Mohawk tribal leaders have signed an agreement to ensure the Mohawks keep their exclusive casino territory in northern New York while paying the state $30 million in gambling
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Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:21 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:21:42 GMT
Revel is bankrupt no more. The struggling Atlantic City casino formally emerged from bankruptcy court on Tuesday, just 13 months after it opened with sky-high hopes.
Revel is bankrupt no more. The struggling Atlantic City casino formally emerged from bankruptcy court on Tuesday, just 13 months after it opened with sky-high hopes.
