CELINA, Ohio - What neighbors in Celina felt Monday night was confirmed on Tuesday.
The National Weather Service confirms an EF3 tornado touched down in Mercer County. Celina Mayor Jeffrey Hazel confirms at least 40 structures, mostly homes, were damaged.
Seven people went to the hospital, three of whom were seriously injured. And 81-year-old Melvin Hanna was killed when the storm threw a car into his home. The mayor says he already was in bed asleep and likely did not know what had hit him.
Just down the road, on Jill Avenue, Gerald and Lori Vian rode out the storm in their basement.
"The siren quit sounding, and I thought, 'oh, we’re probably okay,'" Gerald Vian said. "And my wife said, 'we’re going to stay here a little bit.' And thankfully she did."
Gerald Vian said, rather than the sound of a freight train, he heard what sounded like the whistle of a winter storm. And then there was a crunch.
"We thought, we’re done," Vian said. "Our home’s probably ruined. My wife was just shaking. And I was probably in shock or nervous, too."
Vian said, once the storm had passed, he and his wife walked upstairs to find total devastation. Many of the walls were gone, and part of the roof had collapsed onto the bed, right where they could have been sleeping. But some of their most precious belongs survived, including four crosses that stayed hung on the wall untouched.
"My wife and I, our faith, friends, family, our community here, that’s what’ll keep digging us along, and we’ll get through this thing," Vian said. "My wife and I will rebuild here. We love this town, area, neighbors, we’ll get through it."
Vian and his wife do have a place to stay for the next month, at least.
Anyone in the community who does not have a place to stay can go to the Red Cross Shelter. It is set up at the Eagles Club in Coldwater.
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The American Red Cross is looking for donations and volunteers after a series of confirmed tornados tore through Ohio late Monday and early Tuesday.
The agency opened six shelters in the hard-hit western Ohio area. Five of the shelters are in Dayton. One is in Celina. One person was killed after a tornado outbreak pummeled the Buckeye State.
The Red Cross says you can call 800-RED-CROSS or log onto RedCross.org to donate or volunteer.