"Where's their safe place going to be? Sandra Hooker was texting with her niece Meghan about the tornado sirens going off in town when she last spoke with her. "They had abrasions and scrapes, bruises, lacerations, little cuts. More shocking was a trailer which had been parked This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Trey and Meghan Rackley "I would just gasp because she could do the splits all the time, and she would just laugh," Hooker said. Her father, Trey Rackley, a 37-year-old trucking company dispatcher, suffered cuts and bruises and remains sore and sometimes in shock, Hooker said. Tornadoes also roared through both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the St. Louis area, as well as the Memphis, Tennessee, area and parts of Arkansas and Illinois. Legal Statement. In Pemiscot County in southeastern Missouri, bordering Arkansas and Kentucky, where the Rackleys live, the sheriffs office did not immediately return telephone messages Monday seeking comment about the storm that destroyed the Rackleys home. LOTE EN VA PARQUE SIQUIMAN A 2 CUADRAS DE LAGO SAN ROQUE. (Summer Alexander/Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), Aunt shares tragic story of 9-year-old Missouri girl killed by tornado as mom fights for her life. The family member is grateful for her community's emotional and financial support to date, as they pray the mother and elementary school teacher pulls through. She told 'em yes. Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackleys grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. There's some good news, though: temperatures are expected to be nearly 15 degrees above average, with highs in the 50s. West of St Louis, 84-year-old Ollie Borgmann, described as a sweet and typical grandmother, died at a hospital after a tornado on Friday blew the Defiance, Missouri home she shared with her 84-year-old husband, Vernon, off its foundation. The middle child, Avalinn, or Ava, had broken vertebrae in her back and was expected to undergo surgery Wednesday, Hooker said. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri She said she talked to the girls mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. For more on the devastating tornadoes that occurred and other top stories, listen below to our daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day. At a young age, she was diagnosed with a rare liver disease that required repeated hospital stays. "Some rain could be heavy at times, and a few storms could be on the strong/severe side during the morning hours," NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman says. 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To prove they were in their safe space with the storm approaching Friday evening, the girls mom texted her Aunt Sandy a photo of the three in and next to the bathtub all of them smiling, with 9-year-old Annistyn holding her favorite doll. In this photo provided by Sandra Hooker, from left, Avalinn Rackley, 7, Alanna Rackley, 3, and Annistyn Rackley, 9, pose for a picture in a bathroom in their home near Caruthersville, Missouri. On the right, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. She said she talked to the girls mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. Hooker said Annistyns parents learned when she was 2 months old that she had a rare liver disorder in which bile ducts dont develop properly, sometimes making it hard to fight off illness. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. In this Dec. 10, 2021, photo provided by Sandra Hooker, from left, Avalinn Rackley, 7, Alanna Rackley, 3, and Annistyn Rackley, 9, pose for a picture in a bathroom in their home near Caruthersville, Missouri. Although widespread rain is expected to come to an end around noon, some isolated showers are possible in the afternoon. All rights reserved. ", "I believe she was an angel walking among us, because she was so kind and sweet and loving and caring, not just to me, but to everyone," she says. Hooker called Annistyn Rackley a special angel, recalling the girl as outgoing and energetic despite a rare liver condition that required regular doctors visits. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. After Ava reached a hospital in Memphis, Hooker said, she learned from family there that the young girl had told doctors and nurses, I was flying around in the tornado and I prayed to Jesus to take care of me, and he spit me out and the tornado spit me out into the mud.. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Missouri family took a direct hit from the tornado on Dec. 10. "Then she said, 'Then I'll have to be the big sister to Lani.'". Hooker's account of what happened to the Rackleys came from talking to law enforcement and first responders who were at the scene after the tornado and found family members in the field. I would just gasp because she could do the splits all the time, and she would just laugh, Ms Hooker said. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged In this undated photo provided by Sandra Hooker, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. Kentucky tornado: Facebook groups race to reunite people with belongings including boats, bills and photos found strewn more than 100 miles away, A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. Hooker said Annistyns parents learned when she was 2 months old that she had a rare liver disorder in which bile ducts dont develop properly, sometimes making it hard to fight off illness. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday. (Dec. 13), A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. In this photo provided by Sandra Hooker, from left, Avalinn Rackley, 7, Alanna Rackley, 3, and Annistyn Rackley, 9, pose for a picture in a bathroom in their home near Caruthersville, Missouri. "I just ask everyone to pray that Meghan will wake up and come back to us," said Hooker. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. We celebrate our miracle, Meghan doing so well, when originally we didnt even know if she would ever wake up, Meghans mother, Pamela Proctor Moore, told KAIT8s Chris Carter. The trees in the front yard were uprooted. Market data provided by Factset. "We are believing for a miracle, so we are going to say that we are optimistic that she will pull through. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged across the middle of the country. Annistyn Rackley, 9, poses for a picture while attending a cheerleading competition in Arizona. When all is said and done, forecast models show rain totals are likely to clock in over an inch, with 1.18 inches predicted at O'Hare International Airport. Ava, 7, had broken vertebrae in her back and is expected to undergo spinal surgery Wednesday. (Summer Alexander/Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP). After a series of violent storms devastated many midwestern and southern communities last week, one young injured girl is inspiring the masses with her bravery. Ms Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackleys grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. They had an acre lot surrounded on three sides by a field. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), AMAZON WAREHOUSE COLLAPSE IN ILLINOIS: ALL MISSING PEOPLE NOW ACCOUNTED FOR, POLICE SAY. The other family members were injured but survived. Her nine-year-old daughter, Annistyn, was killed by the tornado. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved (About Us). Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Teacher accused of hiding recording devices in school bathrooms, Teen last seen at mall is missing, Newington police say, Journal Sentinel reporters recognized nationally for coverage of health issues, Boys basketball roundup: Teddy Williams' double-double helps Grand Ledge top Eastern, Biden administration urges Congress to renew warrantless surveillance law. When Annistyn Rackley was born with a rare liver disease that required major surgery at just 2 months old, small-town Caruthersville, Missouri hard against the Mississippi River in the rural southeast corner of the state poured out its heart to raise funds for the family's medical expenses. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged across the country's midsection. Hookers account of what happened to the Rackleys came from talking to law enforcement and first responders who were at the scene after the tornado and found family members in the field. Hooker said it was Annistyns favorite, and she called it Baby MawMaw. Tornadoes also roared through both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the St Louis area, as well as the Memphis, Tennessee, area and parts of Arkansas and Illinois. Ms Hooker teaches gifted students at the same elementary school where Meghan Rackley teaches kindergarten in Caruthersville, which is nestled next to the Mississippi River in whats known as Missouris Bootheel region. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP). Trey was flung by the howling winds into the wet mud. All rights reserved. Trey was released morning after the storm. "I don't know if I was flying but to me if felt more like I was getting dragged," Rackley said. Hooker teaches gifted students at the same elementary school where Meghan Rackley teaches kindergarten in Caruthersville, which is nestled next to the Mississippi River in whats known as Missouris Bootheel region. He and the youngest daughter, 3-year-old Alanna, are no longer in the hospital. Seven-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around in the tornado, Hooker said. A heartbreaking photo shows a young girl sheltering in a bathtub with her sisters moments before she was killed by a tornado as devastating storms ripped across the central US last weekend. Girl sheltering with family killed in tornado. Her great aunt said that the diagnosis never held her back, and she was encouraged by her sisters and her parents to live life to the fullest. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday. All rights reserved. Hooker said it was Annistyn's favorite, and she called it Baby MawMaw. She loved dancing.. But she adds that finding those three specific, tangible pieces from the girl's life are a comfort. See Heartbreaking Photos of the Tornado Devastation in Kentucky, Illinois and More States, Remembering Victims of Deadly Tornado Outbreak: Navy Veteran, 'Loving' Grandma of 4 and More, Texas School Shooting: What We Know About the Victims, Jason Crabb Invites Kentucky Tornado Victim and Viral Piano Player Jordan Baize to Play the Opry, Mo. Who are the victims of the Kentucky tornadoes devastating the midwest? The Caruthersville community held a service Sunday to honor Annistyn Rackley and keep her family in their thoughts. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, died, one of dozens killed in five states. Seven-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around in the tornado, Ms Hooker said. They brought Baby MawMaw to me, and Im cleaning her up so that Ava can have Baby MawMaw, she said. Amid Meghan's fight, the family is keeping vigil while they and their community make plans for Annistyn's funeral. ", Hooker recalls Ava asking her grandmother, 'Where's Anni? Lani, the youngest, was released from the hospital Sunday, but still with hairline fractures in her vertebrae, Hooker says. Hooker called Annistyn Rackley a special angel, recalling the girl as outgoing and energetic despite a rare liver condition that required regular doctors visits. The stuff was just strewn everywhere.". Fifteen minutes later, Sandra Hooker said, a tornado splintered the home, carrying the family members dozens of yards through the air into a field where first responders found them in mud. The Rackley family endures tremendous tragedy and heartbreak after a tornado ripped through their Missouri home on Friday, killing nine-year-old Annistyn and injuring her two younger sisters and parents. Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackleys grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. "The loss, it is exponential," Mandi Alexander, a friend of Meghan's, said at an emotional gathering of some 200 people Sunday at a riverside park to memorialize the young girl, TV station KAIT reported. Are the girls going to know? Hooker said that the girls mother is "fighting for her life" and unresponsive in the hospital after sustaining severe brain trauma, broken bones, and deep lacerations. Following a morning of thunderstorms, lightning, heavy rain and strong winds, the threat of tornadoes loomed late Monday morning over parts of the Chicago area as the National Weather Service issued warning and watches spanning from DuPage County in Illinois to Porter County in Indiana. Girl sheltering with family killed in tornado. Several hours later, the Tornado watches and warnings were issued. ", "That Friday afternoon, everything had been canceled Christmas parties, ball games because we were expecting the bad weather," continues Hooker. She said she talked to the girl's mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. The familys home was destroyed as they were carried into the air by the twister, landing in a field where they were found in the mud by first responders. In Pemiscot County in southeastern Missouri, bordering Arkansas and Kentucky, where the Rackleys live, the sheriffs office did not immediately return telephone messages Monday seeking comment about the storm that destroyed the Rackleys home. "And she did," Hooker tells PEOPLE, "right up till the tornado killed her. She said it was Annistyns favourite, and she called it Baby MawMaw. But update shortly after that indicated that "the severe weather threat appears to be diminishing. After Ava reached a hospital in Memphis, Hooker said, she learned from family there that the young girl had told doctors and nurses, "I was flying around in the tornado and I prayed to Jesus to take care of me, and he spit me out and the tornado spit me out into the mud.". Annistyn also attended the same elementary school where her mom and Hooker teach. Hooker described Annistyn as an outgoing, loving, and creative young girl that loved dancing and cheerleading. Hooker said that Annistyn Rackleys family hadnt yet unpacked from their move Dec. 4 from Caruthersville to their new home along Highway J, just west of the city. "She loved dancing.". Theres debris strewn forever out in the field, and so they were sucked up into the tornado.. I would just gasp because she could do the splits all the time, and she would just laugh, Hooker said. Theres debris strewn forever out in the field, and so they were sucked up into the tornado.. 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