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Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne traveled to Dade County where a tornado killed two people on Wednesday. This is his first hand account of what he encountered while covering the story for Channel 2 Action News.
We met him as dusk approached Dade County.
He probably looks youthful most days, but his face was whiskery, weary and worn. He gave the impression of a man who's given it all and is giving some more.
I asked Dade County Sheriff Patrick Cannon, "You lost your own house last night?"
"I did. I sure did," he said. By a tornado, he told me.
"From what I hear, you've been all over the county helping other folks?"
"I have," he replied evenly. I waited for an explanation. He continued: "There's so many people out here that have lost so much. And, you know, I'm fortunate that I have family. My family's safe. Everybody was well and were taken care of. I've got other family members here that's taking care of my family."
He added: "That's what I'm here to do." That's what I'm here to do. Sounds like someone pays more than lip service to the "service" part of public service.
The sheriff confirmed two men died and about 75 people were injured in Wednesday night's storms there, mostly in the city of Trenton. He said two F-1 tornadoes and an F-3 hit Dade County, and hundreds of Dade County homes suffered damage.
Channel 2 Action News photographer Dave Darling and I saw houses and businesses smashed, thrashed and bashed more ways than I can reasonably list here.
What appeared to be sheets of metal roofing, siding or the like hung like tissue does from the trees at Toomer's Corner after a football win in Auburn.
But we didn't notice a lot of tears in Trenton. Emotion, yes. Gratitude in plentitude.
"It's devastating," said Dr. David Martin, outside the ruins of what apparently had once housed his family practice. But he added: "Fortunately for us, it's just a building."
Charles and Pat Page told us a neighboring nephew next door took them and 15 or 20 more into his basement during the worst storm Wednesday. As we spoke, big fallen tree reposed amid the ruins of the place where the Pages indicated they had reared four boys and a girl. But some things they said evinced more of what wasn't lost, instead of what was—like when Ms. Page spoke of how she prayed.
"'Lord just watch over us and take care of us.' And He's done it. He definitely done it," she said.