Port Orchard families terrified as they watched EF 2 tornado destroy homes



PORT ORCHARD, Wash. --  More than 400 homes sustained some sort of damage after an EF-2 tornado ripped through Port Orchard on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, hundreds of those families were cleaning up the widespread damage.

But two families living next to each other in one neighborhood on Tiburon Court are dealing with the most damage.

"The roof just started lifting and started picking up," Tawnia Crain said.

The next thing to fly off was their bedroom door. It flew across the hallway hitting Tawnia and her husband Aaron.

You have to see the damage inside to truly understand the terror the Crain family endured.

"My daughter was trapped in this bathroom," Aaron said.

A massive tree came crashing through their master bathroom, blocking Aaron's daughter from getting out.

"My husband went in and started ripping limbs and did what a dad had to do to get his daughter out," Tawnia said.

Their daughter realized it was a tornado only after she got out.

"I saw half of our house missing, I was screaming my lungs out," the Crains' daughter said.

Portions of their roof flew off and you could see the frames of their home down to the studs in some parts.

But right next door to the Crain family, their neighbors are dealing with the worst damage of anyone in Port Orchard.

"We are trying to salvage birth certificates, those most important documents," John Mueller said.

It's like finding a needle in a haystack.

The entire roof of their red home blew away. Their belongings were found hanging on tree limbs and other yards far away.

"She found one of her stockings in her yard, our curtain in a tree," Beth Mueller said.

Q13 News was there as a neighbor returned a sentimental piece of artwork to Beth found a couple of homes down.

"It was between the yellow and green house," said the neighbor.

It looks like a bomb went off inside the Mueller's home. But amazingly some of the things that remained intact were a set of plates against the wall and their Christmas presents.

"We will have Christmas early. I know that's silly, just open it up and see if it's good," Beth said.

"We can rewrap those dry them out a little bit," John said.

Both families are emotional not because of the destruction but because of what they still have.

"Families are going to be together," John said.

"I am just overwhelmed at how Port Orchard loves people and how much support," Beth said.