LAKE WALES, Fla — Pasco County Fire Rescue officials say a possible tornado tore the roof off a Lake Wales home which sent a woman to the hospital.
Shingles from the home were blown into the road and lawn furniture was snapped in half. The homeowners tell ABC Action news the worst part was when the windows were blown out.
Al Weddle is overwhelmed as he looks at the home he’s lived in for the last 14 years.
"A lot of damage inside there,” he said.
Severe weather moves through Tampa Bay Area, brings flooding and damage to homes
SEVERE WEATHER CAUSES FLOODING, DAMAGE THROUGHOUT TAMPA BAY
A complete mess during the height of this morning's severe weather, Lake Wales was under a tornado watch several times during the morning hours.
"All of a sudden, wham. The windows blew out and everything was kind of falling down on top of us,” he said.
Neighbors rushed over to help get his wife Ellen to the hospital.
"She was in the kitchen area and something fell on top of her head a little bit, not too bad but some damage,” he said.
Polk County firefighters say part of the roof collapsed and debris is still littering the front yard and even dangling from trees. Weddle says it was a terrifying experience.
"I had been an aviator in World War II, I was on Iwo Jima when they raised the flag and this was far more scary than that experience back then years ago," Weddle said.
He believes Ellen is ok and was on his way to the hospital to check on the woman he’s been married to for 71 years. He says she’s a strong woman.
"She has to be to be married with me that long!” he laughed.
The extent of the damage is unknown right now, but officials say it will most likely be a while before the Weddle’s can come back.
