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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
'God gave me another chance': Teen who drove through Texas tornado describes scary moments
2022-03-25
[FoxWeather] If you didn’t know who 16-year-old Riley Leon was before today, you might recognize his infamous 2004 red Chevrolet Silverado.

"I never expected it to happen to me," Riley told FOX 7.

The teen was driving home from a job interview Monday on Highway 290 in Elgin, Texas, when an EF-2 tornado blew his truck onto its side and spun it around multiple times before getting flipped back upright onto its wheels.

"I’m speechless," he said. "I'm speechless seeing how my truck got thrown like paper."

The National Weather Service said the tornado began roughly 9 miles southwest of Elgin and headed northeast. It damaged slab homes, mobile homes, trees, power lines and an electrical transmission tower.

Amazingly, Riley was able to drive away as the twister continued its path of destruction. His only injury was a cut on his elbow.

"Grateful I'm here. Grateful God gave me another chance," he said.

The entire incident was captured on video by storm chaser Brian Emfinger of Live Storms Media.

Storm chaser Marcus Reynolds witnessed the teen’s wild ride and briefly chatted with him after the ordeal.

"He was just in kind of shock and processing everything," Reynolds told FOX Weather.

Reynolds let Riley use his phone to call his parents while he summoned a nearby paramedic to treat a cut on the teen’s arm.

"That's when I called my mom and my dad, and they're like are you OK? And I'm like, ’yeah, but my truck is gone,’" Riley said.

The truck had been in Riley's family since before his sister was born.

"That truck helped me and my dad get to where we are now," the teen said.

Elgin is located about 40 minutes northeast of Austin.

If you are driving and see a tornado moving in your direction, the NWS advises you to immediately pull over to the side of the road and seek shelter. If no such protection is available, find the lowest point on the ground and lie down, covering your head with your hands -- getting as far away from your car as possible.

"The number one thing I learned was if there's going to be bad weather, stay home. No matter how important the thing is to you, stay home. Your life, your life matters more than other stuff," Riley urges.
Posted by:Skidmark

#6  Now if someone could give him a share or two of Amazon. Set to split 20 for 1 in June.
Posted by: Besoeker   2022-03-25 17:59  

#5  Area Chevy dealer today has given him a new truck. Nice job Chevy!(disclaimer: not a New Gm fan but this is the right thing)
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2022-03-25 17:55  

#4  So why did God bust you upside the head in the first place?

God didn't. The dude decided to be there. Human free will.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2022-03-25 15:44  

#3  Never had your number up and got another chance?
Posted by: swksvolFF   2022-03-25 15:40  

#2  "Grateful God gave me another chance"
So why did God bust you upside the head in the first place? I'd be pissed as hell if someone did that to my truck
Posted by: Black Charlie Tojo2785   2022-03-25 08:58  

#1  If GM doesn’t jump on this for an ad campaign they are dumber than I give them credit for. Incredible! Glad the young man is OK.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2022-03-25 08:51  

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