Man Pulled Alive from Rubble After Tornado Destroys His Home

An Illinois man was pulled alive from the wreckage of his home after a powerful tornado ripped through the Midwest, part of a deadly storm system that left at least one person dead and tens of thousands without power.

Gary Rymek, 65, was trapped under a huge pile of debris after the tornado slammed into his home in Streator, Illinois, about two hours southwest of Chicago.

Dramatic video showed rescuers reaching Rymek in the rubble as he shouted, “I think I’ve got a broken leg.”

Rymek and his wife, Roxann, were among millions of Americans caught in the dangerous storms that swept across the region. In Iowa, a 54-year-old man was killed after a tree fell during severe weather in Des Moines.

More than 80,000 people were still without power Saturday in the Chicago area and northwest Indiana. Officials said roughly 200 homes were damaged or destroyed by the violent winds.

The National Weather Service confirmed four tornadoes in the region, including two EF-3 tornadoes in Streator and Kouts, Indiana, with winds reaching up to 165 mph. Other tornadoes were confirmed in Bartlett, Illinois, and near Dwight, Illinois.

Roxann Rymek was also hurt while trying to help her husband.

Scott Lasker, a freelance photographer and storm chaser, was nearby and rushed in to help the injured couple.

“I was able to get [the debris] off of half of his body to give him a little bit of comfort until the police showed up with a couple of guys that were able to slide him out,” Lasker told Western Mass News.

Rymek suffered a broken ankle but said he is grateful he and his wife survived.

“The door flew out of my hand, and then everything just started falling apart,” he said.

“I’m just very thankful I’m alive, that we are,” Rymek added. “We thought during the time that we weren’t going to make it.”

The couple’s daughter, Jillian Wokurka, said she spent about 45 terrifying minutes unable to reach her parents after the tornado hit.

She wrote on a GoFundMe page that her mother had sent her a video of the tornado just before it struck, then called her while “screaming and crying.”

Wokurka said her parents lost everything, including their home, three cars, medications and CPAP machines.

She said her father, who already suffers from shoulder pain and severe arthritis, is scheduled to have surgery on his ankle Tuesday.

A fundraiser was launched to help the couple recover. By Saturday afternoon, nearly $8,000 had been raised.

The storms also caused major travel problems in Chicago, where ground stops were issued at O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport. More than 1,000 flights in and out of the city were delayed or canceled, according to FlightAware.

The same severe weather system also turned deadly in Iowa. Police said an unidentified 54-year-old man was at a homeless encampment when a tree broke apart and fell during strong storms. He was found critically injured the next morning and died at the scene.

Around 14 million people remained under weather alerts across the Plains and Midwest as forecasters warned that more storms, heavy rain and possible tornadoes could hit through the weekend.

Streator Mayor Tara Bedie said the city suffered major damage but reported no deaths.

“We are incredibly grateful for the safety of our residents and the quick action of emergency personnel,” Bedie said.

The dangerous weather came as much of the East Coast, including Florida, New York and New Jersey, faced brutal heat and humidity. Temperatures were expected to reach the mid-90s in some areas, with heat indexes making it feel like 100 degrees or more.

Forecasters said the severe storms were fueled by cool air from Canada colliding with warm, humid air from the South.