Tornado causes extensive damage in Marietta, Oklahoma
MARIETTA, OK — Amber Czisny said she had just fallen asleep late Saturday night when her husband suddenly woke her up.
"He heard and saw the tornado and said, 'Run, grab the dogs, get in the bathtub now,'" said Czisny.
Czisny said she and her husband hunkered down in their tub in a ball with the dogs.
Seconds later she said it was right over their home along U.S. Highway 77 on the outskirts of the city of Marietta, Oklahoma just north of the Red River.
"I felt like I was in the scene of 'Twister,'" Czisny said. "I felt like the bathtub was rocking. It was terrifying."
While they were in their bathtub, Czinsy said she realized they forgot their 19-year-old cat.
"When it was all said and done, we opened the bathroom door and she was standing there," she said.
Their bathroom was untouched, but the rest of the house wasn't as lucky as the Czisny's.
"A lot of memories that are going to be gone," she said as she choked back tears.
But, she said it was remarkable they survived.
Moments before the tornado slammed the Czisny's home, it caused the most extensive damage in the heart of Marietta along I-35.
Authorities said the tornado touched down so quickly it gave residents little to no warning.
Drone video captures the magnitude of the damage.
The tornado tore through the Dollar Tree warehouse distribution center, crossed the highway, and destroyed the Dollar General store and the Homeland Grocery store.
It also hit the nursing home, but the residents and staff escaped unharmed and were transferred to other facilities.
The hospital also sustained major damage, but no patients and staff were hurt.
They are now at other facilities.
Sunday, neighbors helped the Czisny family salvage as many of their belongings as possible.
"They are wonderful people," said Czisny. "It restores your faith in humanity."
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