Texas weather: Tornado clean up continues in Temple
TEMPLE, Texas - The cleanup continues in Bell County after an EF-2 tornado touched down in Temple on Wednesday. One Temple resident lost both her home and business in the tornado.
"It took six months to build it and six minutes to demolish it," said Hansy Howard, a Temple resident.
Howard still cannot believe her business was destroyed following an EF-2 tornado in Bell County.
"It makes me really sad because I worked so hard to create it, and it's all gone now.," she said.
Her business, named Le Studio Pet, now sits in shambles. Inside, the roof caved in and merchandise was thrown everywhere. Howard cannot believe she was actually inside when the tornado hit.
"I'm really lucky. I'm really lucky," she said.
Howard says she had just finished up a normal work day when everything started shaking. She remembers grabbing her two dogs and running into the bathroom.
"I was in here like this and holding this door so tight, and as soon as I looked up, and I saw the sky, I closed the door," said Howard.
At that moment, she made a phone call to her kids. She says it was a phone call that she thought would be her last.
"[I said] ‘I'm in [a] tornado, and I'm in the bathroom, and this is the last time you're going to hear me," she recalled.
Her kids stayed on the phone with her praying. Luckily, Howard made it out without a scratch on her, but the same cannot be said about her business, or even her home next door.
"My house is demolished. My business is demolished," said Howard.
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Howard rented the home out to Matt Caskey and Haley Manning, who were luckily out of town when the tornado touched down celebrating Haley's birthday.
"We lost pretty much everything," said Haley.
As they, and many other Temple residents, figure out what they can save among the rubble and debris, the couple admits they are just happy to be with each other.
"It makes you realize real quick what's important in life, how thankful you are to be where you are and have who you have," said Caskey.
It is those slight positive moments from loved ones or even strangers that let Howard know everything is going to be okay.
"It's okay. It'll be okay," she said.
City of Temple officials say they cannot confirm how long the recovery phase will last, but they did say it will take a while.