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BRYAN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - Blue skies hovered over the Bryan / College Station area Thursday, a stark contrast from this an EF-2 tornado that was caught on camera Wednesday. "It probably didn't last 15-20 seconds maybe, but it was a heck of a15 seconds I’ll tell you that," said Kevin Fitzgerald, survivor.
Fitzgerald was fixing up a Volkswagen Beetle when the rain began pouring down. Then he said it stopped, and there was dead silence for a while.
"The wind started picking up then I heard the train, this big roar and I thought….they talk about that being a tornado. I saw the whole wall over there start bowing in like the building was breathing," he said, describing the walls of the building he rents for his hobby shop.
He had no choice but to act quickly.
"I ran to the bathroom and grabbed the toilet, I figured it was bolted to the ground. Two seconds later I seen the building, the wall, I didn't see the toilet go but I saw that stuff go, and I was doing about 80 instantly. I was flying. I grabbed my legs, I felt myself go up in the air, I was hitting stuff, screaming the whole time," said Fitzgerald.
Kevin suffered some lacerations, bruises and a broken foot. He's more fortunate than many others who've lost their lives in storms like these.
The National Weather Service said this tornado took them by surprise. "For this particular tornado we did not have a warning out. Normally you will get a warning but there are situations where the tornadoes can form very quickly," said Dan Reilly, meteorologist for the NWS-Houston/Galveston.
"The video is scary, we don't see that very often. Knowing we are going to have to respond to potential injuries, massive damage, there's no telling so it's a scary feeling," said Jason Ware, deputy emergency management coordinator for Brazos County.
Five businesses and one nearby home were all damaged. Now the cleanup effort begins...and Kevin will be collecting any salvageable tools from his hobby shop.
Despite what he went through, he remains grateful for his life.
"I told god I ain’t dying in no tornado, no way," said Fitzgerald.