Owen County woman rides out storm with her dogs

OWEN COUNTY, Ind. – An Owen County woman sat in a recliner with her four chihuahuas and a German shepherd, praying she would make it through Wednesday night’s storm.

The woman, who identified herself as Sue and said she was 70 years old, was watching FOX59’s coverage of Wednesday’s severe weather when she realized the storm was ready to sweep through her area. She sat in a recliner with her four chihuahuas to ride it out.

Just before the storm hit, she believes her German shepherd knew something was wrong.

“All of a sudden, my German shepherd came over and put his head on my feet, because dogs sense when something’s going to happen.”

Chaos followed.

The electricity went out.

The mobile home shook back and forth.

The storm ripped the roof off her home, brought down trees and power lines, and sent everything flying.

Sue said it “sounded like a train was coming through.”

“It was awful,” she told FOX59/CBS4’s Hannah Follman. “You would just have to experience it. The roof went flying. Everything went flying. The picnic table saved me from going through my patio door.”

Sue said her husband died three years ago. She can’t afford insurance and relies on Social Security. She never dreamed something like this would happen.

Her faith pulled her through.

“I prayed and prayed in that recliner. I think that’s what saved us,” she said. “God and his angels came down, and maybe my husband from heaven came down. And thank God they saved me and my babies. My four chihuahuas and German shepherd are all I’ve got in life. I just don’t know what to do.”

She estimated that the ordeal lasted only about 45 seconds. For her, it felt much, much longer.

“I was praying to God, ‘Please, please protect me and my babies.’”

After the storm passed, Sue was petrified. She called her daughter and said she couldn’t get out of the recliner because she was so scared. Her neighbor helped her get up. She’s still getting a handle on the devastation. Her dogs are still terrified.

“They wouldn’t even come out and use the bathroom, they’re so scared,” she said.

Still, by the grace of God, she and her dogs survived.

“I’m so grateful to be alive. I’m so grateful for my pets,” Sue said. “Everybody that came to check on me last night said this trailer shouldn’t be here. It should be gone.”