A terrifying storm ripped through a mobile home in Tennessee on December 9, causing widespread destruction.
The 22-year-old Sydney described the horrifying moment the tornado ripped off the roof of their mobile home as it approached.
In her mind, she was back in the tornado that had lifted the bassinet holding her baby, Lord, and her boyfriend, Aramis, had been desperately trying to catch the little one.
“The tip of the tornado came down and picked up the bassinet with my baby, Lord, in it. He was the first thing to go up,” Sydney told Australia’s 9 News.
One of the first responders, Lt. Steven Bryant of the Clarksville Fire Rescue, recounted the mayhem that ensued after Sydney walked more than a mile to get assistance.
Holding onto the spinning bassinet amid the onslaught of the tornado was a terrifying experience, as Aramis described.
As a protective instinct kicked in for her son Princeton, who was just one year old, Sydney described what happened. She swiftly decided to rush and jump on top of her son to protect him from the crumbling walls. “Something in me just told me to run and jump on top of my son.” she said.
Despite everything that happened, Sydney and her son Princeton managed to escape the wreckage with almost no injuries.
The hunt for Lord commenced once the tornado had passed. The bizarre sight of Aramis escorting Lord back through the rubble was described by Sydney.
“I saw [Aramis] walking through the woods, carrying Lord in the pouring down rain, and all of his clothes were ripped. It was like a scene in a movie,” she told Good Morning America.
According to Lt. Steven Bryant, the area looked like a battle zone. “She came running to me and gave me the baby, and I could hear the baby crying, so I thought, that’s good,” Bryant told GMA, expressing satisfaction that Lord did not suffer any life-threatening injuries.
Sydney characterized Lord’s location as a “little tree cradle,” and despite their first concerns, they discovered that he was alive and well. A wonderful turn of events occurred to the parents while it was raining.
“I thought [Lord] was dead. I was pretty sure he was dead, and we weren’t going to find him. But by the grace of God,” Sydney stated.
There is no need to even ask that. My partner would also act similarly.
After their house and car were totally destroyed, Caitlyn Moore, Sydney’s sister, decided to start a GoFundMe campaign to help the family.
The baby, Lord, was hurt slightly; he had a concussion and an ear cut that needed glue. The way he was placed on the tree was described by Caitlyn as gentle, as if an angel had escorted him there.
As of December 20, 2023, the GoFundMe campaign had raised little over $105,000, surpassing its initial target and providing much-needed assistance to the family in purchasing a new home, furnishings, car, insurance, and other essentials.