In rural Collin County, three people died during Saturday鈥檚 tornado outbreak. Part of the destruction happened in Copeville, east of Lavon Lake. A husband and wife reflect on their dramatic evening.
Joyce and Walker Mills have lived in their brick home in Copeville for nearly 30 years. They said they鈥檝e never experienced anything quite like Saturday鈥檚 tornado.
鈥淚 was sitting in the den and Walker had just gone to his bedroom to lay down to rest awhile,鈥� Joyce said. 鈥淚 was watching the weather and I had heard that it was gonna be bad here, but I was just sitting in the lounge chair in the den and all of sudden, I mean it just ..."
鈥淚 think it knocked me from out of the bed,鈥� Walker said.
Joyce is 84; Walker is 91. They've been married 26 years. Doctors recently implanted a pacemaker in Walker. And he's still recovering from hip surgery -- he uses a walker to get around.
They only suffered a few scratches from the tornado. Their home in Copeville was totaled.
鈥淥h it sounded like a whole big gush of wind,鈥� Joyce said.
鈥淎nd roaring,鈥� Walker said.
鈥淛ust roaring, Yes.鈥� she said. 鈥淲ind just roaring.鈥�
There was no time to react and no tornado siren. It happened quickly 鈥� 15, 20 seconds, maybe.
鈥淕lass started flying. The lights went out, it was dark,鈥� Joyce said. 鈥淚t was the most frightening thing I鈥檝e been through and I鈥檓 84 years old 鈥� I mean I just put my hands over my face and started praying.鈥�
Walker and Joyce were found by his son, Gary, and three Collin County deputies. He was still in bed.
Gary Mills and his wife, Colleen, live next door to his dad. Their house was damaged, too 鈥� windows were blown out and part of the roof is missing.
Since the storm, the elder Mills' roof has caved in, making it unsafe to stay there. So for now, the couple is staying with Joyce鈥檚 twin sister in the nearby town of Lavon.
