A couple has both lost an arm while taking shelter in their Kentucky home, which was severely damaged by a tornado last week, as reported by their relatives.
Brandy Bowman informed NBC affiliate WLEX that the doctors indicated they lost opposite arms because they were holding each other. The couple, Paul and Gail Cline, are in their 60s and reside in Laurel County.
Bowman recounted that Paul and Gail were in their bedroom when the tornado struck on Friday, May 16. A neighbor, upon hearing the couple’s cries for help, rushed to their home and assisted them into a hallway.
The family mentioned that someone heard Gail’s cries while searching for survivors in the area.
“She said, ‘I need help. I see an arm down the hallway,’” Bowman remembered, which was later identified as Gail’s injured arm due to the tornado.
According to WLEX, the Clines were transported to London Hospital. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to support the family, revealing that Gail, who has also sustained a punctured lung from debris in her ribs, is currently on life support.
“Their home, vehicles, and everything they’ve worked for is gone,” Taylor Baker, the couple’s other niece, stated in the fundraiser description about her uncle and aunt. “They are two of the best people you could ever find. My aunt’s daughter is also battling stage 4 cancer, so they were already facing challenges before this disaster struck. They require all the assistance and prayers possible.” While Paul’s condition has shown improvement, Baker informed WLEX that her uncle suffers from dementia and has not fully comprehended the situation.
“All I can’t get out of my head is just how terrified they both were. I cannot fathom the fear that must have been racing through their minds, but one thing is certain, they are godly individuals,” Baker expressed.
