As the tornado approached, Jay County EMA director Samantha Rhodehamel detailed the extent of the damage, noting that 38 homes sustained varying degrees of harm, alongside damage to four commercial properties, including the Jay County Jr.-Sr. High School and the American Legion. After a morning tour of the school, which remains closed for safety reasons, Rhodehamel remarked, “It’s mind-blowing to see the damage inside compared to what’s usually there.” With homecoming festivities planned for the week, Portland Mayor Jeff Westlake reassured the community that the parade and football game would continue as scheduled.
While there were no reported injuries, local resident Kyle Love experienced one of the scariest moments of his life as the tornado bore down on his home. Love, a teacher at the high school, had just settled in to watch a football game when ominous weather rolled in. Initially, the sound of rain was soon eclipsed by a noise reminiscent of a roaring jet engine, accompanied by a high-pitched whistling.
“I sat up and saw my front porch awning lift up,” Love recalled. Instinctively, he sought shelter on the couch just as debris began to swirl outside. In an instant, part of his roof was ripped away, and the remaining structure collapsed around him. “It’s like getting a sucker punch out of nowhere,” Love described, emphasizing the shock of the moment.
Trapped beneath insulation and roof tiles, Love drew on his training as a part-time firefighter to remain calm. “It was like fight or flight. It’s like protect and get out,” he said. After regaining his composure, he managed to escape and called 911. Miraculously, his truck parked in the driveway suffered minimal damage.
“It’s insane that I did not get hurt,” Love reflected, a testament to the unpredictability of nature and the resilience of the human spirit. As the community begins the recovery process, stories of survival like Love’s serve as a reminder of both the power of storms and the strength found in facing them head-on.
