Narrow escape for man whose home demolished by Arkansas tornado

Red Cross volunteer talks to John Molz in demolished home

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Red Cross volunteer Don Barnett talks to John Molz who was inside his mobile home in Monte Ne, Arkansas when a tornado, blowing over a tree that crashed through the roof and split the home in half. John was on the floor and narrowly escaped injury. (Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)

Two Red Cross volunteers talk with John Molz in demolished home

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Red Cross volunteers Don Barnett and Tom Shands, in a cowboy hat, talk to John Molz who lost his mobile home when a tornado sent a tree crashing through the roof. The Red Cross volunteers were in the area delivering emergency supplies to residents impacted by the storm. (Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)

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Red Cross volunteers Don Barnett and Tom Shands, in a cowboy hat, talk to John Molz who lost his mobile home when a tornado sent a tree crashing through the roof. The Red Cross volunteers were in the area delivering emergency supplies to residents impacted by the storm. (Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)

Two Red Cross volunteers talk with John Molz outside of demolished home

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Red Cross volunteers Don Barnett and Tom Shands, in a cowboy hat, talk to John Molz who lost his mobile home when a tornado sent a tree crashing through the roof. The Red Cross volunteers were in the area delivering emergency supplies to residents impacted by the storm. (Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)

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Red Cross volunteer Tom Shands talks with John Molz who lost his mobile home in Monte Ne, Arkansas when a tornado knocked a tree into the home. They are standing where the living room once was. (Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)

June 12, 2024

By Carl Manning
American Red Cross

John Molz was riding his pride and joy motorcycle around Beaver Lake near Rogers, Arkansas when he spotted a Red Cross van filled with disaster emergency supplies driving through the area recently ravaged by a tornado.

The soft-spoken burly man explained to Red Cross volunteers Don Barnett and Tom Shands that his home in Monte Ne was severely damaged, and they offered to drop by. What they saw was jaw dropping.

His mobile home was split down the middle, from roof to floor, a scene where nobody was expected to survive. But John, who was inside his home when the tornado came through, managed to crawl out without serious injury.

“All the wind and everything was blowing down the road and then I heard the tree starting to fall,” John said.

John was sleeping when he was awakened by the sound of the storm outside. He opened the front door and saw the rain falling hard, and the wind blowing even harder with tree limbs and debris swirling in the air.

“I fell to the floor, grabbed the bottom of the door jamb, and held on with all my might. I was praying like I never prayed before. The faster it got the more I prayed,” he said.

Then he looked up and saw the ceiling coming towards him as the falling tree pushed through the roof to the floor. What he considered the answer to his prayers came, as the ceiling stopped dropping a few above him.

John crawled from beneath the rubble, looked around and what he saw was a part of giant tree where his living room had been, and most things familiar no longer there.

Beyond losing his house, his vehicles had extensive damage and he couldn’t drive them. By a stroke of luck, his motorcycle was parked elsewhere so it was spared.

“I just had to stop and put it in perspective. I was so fortunate. Another few inches and it would have been a much different story,” he said.

Don and Tom talked to John about his ordeal and what the Red Cross could to do help him. They provided him with water, snacks, work gloves and some tarps.

John said even though he lost nearly everything, he wasn’t going to let it get him down.

“I’m really beginning to appreciate what I have,” he said.