This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Hookers account of what happened to the Rackleys came from talking to law enforcement and first responders who were at the scene after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. "About 7:23, I texted Meghan and I told her, 'The storms are about 15 minutes away. To prove they were in their safe space with the storm approaching, the girls mom texted her Aunt Sandy a photo of the three in and next to the bathtub all of them smiling, 9-year-old Annistyn holding her favourite doll. 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. Tuesday morning, ABC24 Memphis spoke with the children's father, Trey Rackley. She said, 'I was flying around in that tornado.' Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. or redistributed. "He immediately got up and started trying to find his family, because there's not a better daddy in this world, not a better husband, even though he has a broken vertebrae and a broken rib and all these cuts and abrasions and things on his body," Hooker says. She has several broken vertebrae in her back, and they are going to be putting in some rods and things on Wednesday morning. But he and the youngest daughter, 3-year-old Alanna Little Lani are no longer hospitalized. She loved dancing.. ", Hooker recalls Ava asking her grandmother, 'Where's Anni? CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. "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. Earlier Monday, forecast models waivered on the severity of the storm, with the NWS early Monday indicating that "a brief tornado or two" could not be ruled out. Proctor Moore said Avas progress is wonderful. In late December, former President Donald Trump sent her a letter. Are the girls going to know? "Maybe she won't be forgotten too quickly," she says. (Summer Alexander/Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), Missouri county police captain on post-storm looting and recovery efforts. Her father, Trey Rackley, a 37-year-old trucking company dispatcher, suffered cuts and bruises and remains sore and sometimes in shock, Hooker said. "We've talked about it several times," Hooker says. 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 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. Who are the victims of the Kentucky tornadoes devastating the midwest? "All of them were absolutely covered in mud from head to toe," Hooker says of the immediate aftermath. But she said Annistyn still was full of energy and delighted in donning outfits and makeup for cheer competitions and learning new dances from TikTok. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. She said she talked to the girls mother, Meghan Rackley, on Friday afternoon about the possibility of bad storms. Gov Mike Parson s office said that about 30,000 Missouri residents initially were without power. In this undated photo provided by Sandra Hooker, the Rackley family poses for a picture while on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackley's grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. One confirmed death in Missouri was a nine-year-old girl, Annistyn Rackley Her two sisters and parents survived when their house was destroyed by a tornado At least 88 people have died across five states as tornadoes ripped through multiple United States communities in the South and Midwest. Tight rotation in this area may produce a brief tornado at any moment. 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, Sunshine returns to SoCal on Thursday but cold temps stick around, AccuWeather: AM showers before a mild afternoon, Texas lawmakers go over school safety report card, Deputies release minute-by-minute timeline of shootings that killed woman, reporter & girl. All rights reserved. Hooker reflected on the 9-year-old's perseverance in her young life, following a diagnosis of a rare live disease. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), AMAZON WAREHOUSE COLLAPSE IN ILLINOIS: ALL MISSING PEOPLE NOW ACCOUNTED FOR, POLICE SAY. And she sent me a Snapchat picture of the girls in the bathtub. All rights reserved. Mike Parsons office said that about 30,000 Missouri residents initially were without power. Girl sheltering with family killed in tornado. 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. A miracle recovery: Mother severely hurt in Decembers tornado released from hospital, Police investigating after student brings gun to school, NEA fares well at 5A State Swimming Championships, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Marmaduke girls beat Rison in 1st Round, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Bay boys beat Dierks in 1st Round, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Rector boys beat Acorn in 1st Round, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Earle boys beat Junction City in 1st Round. She said it was Annistyns favourite, and she called it Baby MawMaw. Meghan is currently in rehab in Cape Girardeau. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri 0:00. There's some good news, though: temperatures are expected to be nearly 15 degrees above average, with highs in the 50s. Although much of the area will see rain, thunder, lightning and gusty winds, other parts will see stronger storms with damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour, the NBC 5 Storm Team says. Hooker said after a prayer vigil Sunday, searchers in the field near the Rackleys' house found the doll that Annistyn was holding in the photo. 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. Additionally, there were reports that a "brief tornado" touched down in DuPage County, and reports of wind damage from a "possible tornado in Kendall County. (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), Memphis LGBTQ+ activists protest Gov. ", "Anni was a miracle," she says. But she said Annistyn still was full of energy and delighted in donning outfits and makeup for cheer competitions and learning new dances from TikTok. The middle child, Avalinn, or Ava, had broken vertebrae in her back and was expected to undergo surgery Wednesday, Hooker said. She said she bonded with Annistyn during doctors visits and blood draws and said the girl liked to draw with chalk on the cement of her carport. Her father, Trey Rackley, a 37-year-old trucking company dispatcher, suffered cuts and bruises and remains sore and sometimes in shock, Hooker said. Eighty percent of the children with this disease have to have a liver transplant by the time they are 18. Designed by, INVERSORES! MISSOURI GIRL, PICTURED 15 MINUTES BEFORE TORNADO HIT, FOUND DEAD IN FIELD DOZENS OF YARDS AWAY, 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. Ky. Tornado Survivors Speak Out as Death Toll Hits 64: 'I Kept Praying, Please Let Me Get to My Kids'. Just before 10 a.m., a Tornado warning was issued for central DuPage County, "with a thunderstorm capable of producing a brief spin-up tornado over Warrenville and Naperville.". Both the strong storms and heavy rain will likely move out by noon Monday, the NBC 5 Storm Team says. A MOM took a heartbreaking final snap of her daughter holding onto her favorite doll to show she was safe before a series of deadly tornadoes hit the Midwest. But he gets up and powers through it, and is hunting in the mud for his family. Trey was flung by the howling winds into the wet mud. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, steady, heavy rain is expected to continue developing throughout the morning, impacting roads and highways as commuters make their way to work. 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. 10. 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. "In spite of everything, she was just always so brave, just you would never know, she was always smiling. With your steadfast spirit, and the unwavering strength and support of your wonderful family and many friends, your future potential is limitless.. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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