Wall covered in crosses still standing after tornado destroys family home: 'It was nothing but the grace of God’

Kerry Justich
·Health and Wellness Staff Writer
Family home destroyed in Texas tornado, except for a wall of crosses. (Photo: KBTX)
Family home destroyed in Texas tornado, except for a wall of crosses. (Photo: KBTX)

Some family members in Texas are counting their blessings after a tornado destroyed most of their home — except for a wall of crosses.

The Darnell family home, in the town of Franklin, was one of many demolished when a tornado tore through the area on Saturday. And although city officials have reported that there were no fatalities, the community has still taken a big hit.

Crystle Darnell-Whitmore took KBTX through the neighborhood that she grew up in, including the debris that now stands in place of her childhood home. Amongst the destruction, however, are two fully intact walls that are bringing the family some peace.

“Mom’s cross wall. This is pretty much the only wall still standing,” Darnell-Whitmore said. “There’s another wall that she has stickers on it that say ‘Faith and Hope’ with first Corinthians 13:13 verse on there.”

Right before the tornado hit, Darnell-Whitmore was sitting on the home’s front porch with a friend, while her children were collecting hailstones from the storm outside. When the weather started picking up, she called everyone inside and quickly looked for a place to hide.

“I slammed this door shut when I saw that truck coming, I saw the wind moving it,” she said of a neighbor’s vehicle. “The roof just come off and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh I can’t make it,’ so I hid in the bathroom with everyone else and it was all of us piled up in this small bathroom.”

Outside of the bathroom that kept the whole family safe is where the two walls remain.

Darnell-Whitmore didn’t immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment. However, she posted to her Facebook page after Saturday’s storm to show more of the damage and to ask people for prayers.

According to KBTX, the family is waiting to see what can be recovered through insurance, but is feeling lucky to be alive.

“It was nothing but the grace of God that was with us that day because if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t be alive,” Darnell-Whitmore told the outlet. “I’m still, not questioning him, but I am still in disbelief that we’re here.”

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