'They were whirled around inside': Hawley family of 4 survives tornado

HAWLEY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) — A family of four in Hawley described the scene as a tornado hit the area Thursday evening.

Wes Lambert shared that his wife and two children were inside their house, taking cover from the storm. Wes was outside watching the tornado to determine which way it was going. He quickly realized it was crossing the field and heading right towards his house.

"It got massive quick, and I could tell it was moving our way, and that's when I decided to get in the closet; wife and kids were already in the closet. Told my wife to get ready; it's coming, and about a minute later, it was there," explained Lambert.

Rea Lambert, Wes's mother, was helping her son recover what was lost, sifting through the debris. She told us a story told by her granddaughter about what they experienced the moment the tornado hit the house.

"All four of them were huddled together in a closet as my grandmother says she was the hole in the donut… they had her in the middle, and they were all on top of her, and she only came out with a few scratches," added Rea.

All four members of the family suffered major and minor injuries but have been released from the hospital and are expected to make a full recovery.

"My son had my grandson bear-hugged, and he was ripped from his arms and thrown, and they said they were whirled around inside. Then the whole water heater fell on my daughter-in-law, and her whole back side is bruised," explained Rea.

While their home is a total loss, the Lamberts said they're thankful for the storm chaser who rushed them to safety after the tornado hit.

"I'm thankful somebody was here to get the kids to the hospital. That's a big blessing, and knowing that you can look up and there's a driveway full of cars willing to help makes all the difference," said Wes Lambert.

Without the storm chaser being at the right place and time, Rea shared that she doesn't know what could have happened to her loved ones.

"It was very hard to watch, and I was very thankful to see them in the car on their way to safety to the hospital. Miracle that they survived, so God has a purpose for their life, or they wouldn't be here," said Rea.

The community is now working together to pick up the pieces, helping the Lamberts and other people impacted. A fundraising campaign has been launched on GoFundMe to assist with their recovery. The Lambert family is now on the road to recovery and is thankful for all those who jumped in to help.