Wilson County family survives 'very scary' storm

He and his 20-year-old son were inside their Elm City mobile home when the storm rolled in.

"The house just started shaking," Franklin said. "When I came out of my bedroom ... I looked up and the roof was already gone."

He and his son ran to the bathroom for safety and huddled until it passed. Minutes later, the father and son were able to go outside and survey the damage, including their roof, which they found crumpled more than 100 yards away.

"The house is totally gone. The house twisted on the foundation," Franklin said. "It was very scary."

Franklin's wife, Charlene Franklin, was at work when she got the call about her husband and son.

"I just panicked, just broke down and started crying. I didn't know what to do. I just prayed to God that they made it through," she said.

She was relieved to see and hug her family.

"Thanks to God for just letting us make it through," Greg Franklin said. "We're just trying to pick up the pieces, trying to save what we can and just pick up the pieces and go from here."

Another close call was reported in Wilson County. A mother said her 6-year-old daughter was jumping on a trampoline minutes before the wind slammed it into their home.

In Edgecombe County, a 10-foot portion of a roof of a hog operation on Nobles Mill Pond Road was torn off during the storm. No injuries were reported.