Puxico, Mo., family grateful for life after losing home

PUXICO, Mo. - The path of destruction that tore through Stoddard County in the early hours of Wednesday morning left many residents picking up the pieces of their lives, and one man dead.

A drive down many county roads in rural Puxico will quickly show signs of the what most residents are convinced was a tornado.

When Jerry Rohan and his 9-year-old son, Dylan, went to bed Tuesday evening, they had no idea what the morning would bring.

Jennifer Rohan, wife and mother, returned home from work at Tyson Foods in Dexter in the early morning hours, knowing the weather was expected to get rough. When she turned on the television and realized what was going on, she saw a report that it was approximately 16 minutes away.

She quickly woke Jerry and Dylan. The family then grabbed a small handful of things and drove up the road to Jerry's brother's house, Tommy Rohan, where they stayed to "ride it out."

Shortly after the storm, the family drove to what was their home expecting damage, but with no idea to what extent it would be.

"When they called after they went back up to the house [Jerry] said it was gone," Tommy Rohan said Wednesday morning as he helped his loved ones sift through the rubble. "I asked him if anything could be salvaged, because I didn't realize just how bad it was. Once I got here, I understood."

When the family arrived and saw what was left, they could hardly believe it.

The mobile home was reduced to nothing more than a pile of sticks and metal. Insulation was strewn up the road for more than a half-mile. A horse trailer, once sitting near the home, was tossed many yards into a tree row.

"If that tree row wasn't there, this stuff would have been thrown miles," he said.

Throughout Wednesday morning the couple stayed at the site where the home once stood, gathering what they could. A representative of the American Red Cross stopped by to assess the family's immediate needs and get contact information.

According to a family member, they managed to salvage most all of their clothing, but everything else is a complete loss. With no insurance, the road ahead will be a tough one for the small family.

"You watch people standing in their yard staring at the rubble on TV all the time, but you never think that one day that might be you," Rohan said. "But one day it could be."

The Rohans have a lot of family in the area. So, for the time being, a place to stay is not a concern. They do, however, need everything except for clothes.

"I'm just so thankful we're all OK," Jerry Rohan said as he looked out over the field by their former home that is littered with metal, wood and insulation.

Mark Champlin, 50, also of Puxico, wasn't as lucky. He was pronounced dead soon after the storm hit his home.

Anyone who would like to donate goods or offer assistance can reach the family at (573) 421-8927.