Sioux Falls, SD
A group of people a part of LifeScape, formally known as South Dakota Achieve, were in for a fun day at the Omaha Zoo. After leaving the zoo Tuesday afternoon to head back to Sioux Falls, they quickly found themselves in a dangerous storm.
"We were coming out of the Omaha Zoo and it started to rain hard and the hail started to hit our windows and started to scare us," Amy Stanford said.
Stanford, her fiancé Kendall Kermoade, his sister Shantel and her boyfriend Nathan Backhaus were on a trip they will never forget.
"We were looking up and we could tell the storm was going to come. We just knew that we couldn't do anything but try to live it out," Nathan said.
The group says they were with seven others in a 12 passenger van on the interstate near Missouri Valley, Iowa when the worst of the storm hit.
"They started to tell us to put our heads down and that's what we did," Stanford said.
Baseball-sized hail stones fell from the skies, hitting the van with force. It was enough to break windows.
"It broke the middle, the back, and the left side and the windshield was cracked," Kermoade said.
"When that window broke, that just scared me to death," Backhaus said.
Rain, hail and glass scattered throughout the van. The four were hit by large hail stone that left scrapes and bruises.
"I don't know, I was just really scared and screaming," Stanford said.
Nathan says, without thought, he shielded Shantel from the storm.
"It was my first instance. Put her head in my lap and curl over her to make sure she was safe," Backhaus said.
As the storm passed, the group was able to get to safety and eventually back to Sioux Falls. The scrapes and bruises may go away, but they say the memories will last a lifetime.
"It was fun at the zoo, but at the end, it wasn't," Stanford said.
The group only received minor injuries. After the storm they were taken to a nearby restaurant, the restaurant gave them free food, drinks, and let them stay warm and dry while they wanted for a new ride home.
News
General
Courts
Web Only
Crime
Outdoors
Events Center
Non-Homepage
Boredom Busters
Pipeline
Positively KELOLAND
Technology
Hunger
Affordable Care Act
Shops
Flooding
Remembering 9/11
Drought
JazzFest
Spring Storm
Honor Flight
Spencer Anniversary
Copper Lounge Collapse
Hidden History
Founder's Day
Eclipse
Holiday
Custer Fire
Pheasant Fest
DoApp
Health News
Business News
Sports
Agriculture
Markets
Livestock
Crops
Politics
HealthBeat
Cancer
Children's Health
Heart Health
Wellness & Nutrition
General
Health Beat
Women's Health
RX Resources
What's Going Around
OTC
Diabetes
Recalls
Dental Health
Men's Health
Politics
South Dakota
Legislature
Budget
Congress
Taxes
General
Local
Campaign
President
US Senate
New Laws
US House
Iowa
Ballot Issues
Local Races
Minnesota
Gubernatorial
Education
Funding
College
Elementary
High School
Pre K
School Supplies
Middle School
Sports
Professional
College
High School
Sports Zone
Headlines
Summit League Tournament
Olympics
Super Bowl
Racing
All Star
Golf
NCAA
Business
Industry
Your Money Matters
Development
Gas & Energy
Legislation
Economy/Stocks
Employment
General
Health Care
Technology
Education Funding
Tourism
Banking/Finance
Housing
Transportation
Insurance
Meetings & Events
Retail & Restaurants
All Industries
On The Move
Shops
Agriculture
Holiday Shopping
Trendigital
Featured Stories
Eye on KELOLAND
Inside KELOLAND
Weather
Snow
Forecast
Records
Rain
Flooding
Drought
WX Corner
General
World News
Investigates
Sponsored
KELOLAND Living
Done
Opening existing...