A woman who lost her husband, mother and two of her three children in a deadly Iowa tornado earlier this month spoke of the “rollercoaster of emotions” she’s experienced over the past two weeks and how her only surviving child is hers. stone”.
Kuri Bolger, 33, and her family from Blue Springs, Missouri, were visiting her mother and stepfather in Winterset, Iowa, when a tornado hit the ground around 4:30 p.m. on March 5.
With winds up to 136 mph, the tornado toppled trees, overturned cars, and killed seven people, including most of the Kuri family.
Now Kuri, who spent ten days in the hospital with a broken leg and pelvis, remembers her husband Michael, 37, daughter Kinley, five, son Owen, two, and mother, Melissa Basley, 63.
“It’s a rollercoaster of emotions. I think there are going to be really hard days and days when it gets a little easier, but just remember that you just have to keep going,” she told Good Morning America.
Kuri Bolger, 33, lost husband Michael, 37, daughter Kinley (center), five, son Owen (left), two, and her mother, Melissa Basley, 63, in a tornado earlier this month; eldest son Bryzen (right), age eight, survived
“It’s a rollercoaster of emotions. I think there will be very difficult days and days when it will be a little easier, but just remember that you just have to keep going,” she said.
The Blue Springs, Missouri family visited her mother and stepfather in Winterset, Iowa.
The Bolgers were in town on a visit and had spent the previous day at an alpaca farm.
Hours before the tornado, Kuri and her mom worked out together, posing for a photo of them flexing their muscles.
According to Facebook, after the tornado swept through, Kuri’s hand was pinched for several hours before she was rescued and hospitalized.
Only she, her stepfather, one of her brothers, and her eight-year-old son Bryzen survived.
“Thank God he survived and everyone was able to save him because at the moment he is my rock,” Kuri said of her son.
While Brysen sprained her leg, Kuri broke several bones and underwent several surgeries during her ten day stay in the hospital.
She and her mom just worked out together a few hours ago. The day before, they all went to an alpaca farm.
According to Facebook, after the tornado swept through, Kuri’s hand was pinched for several hours before she was rescued and hospitalized.
Kuri named her eight-year-old son Brysen (center), who also survived, as her “stone”.
Kuri described her husband, a pipe fitter with whom she lived for 13 years, as her best friend who “did everything for everyone else.”
She is now out of the house and coping with the loss, saying she is grateful for the good memories and the many photos and videos.
“My mom always had a phone, and I said: “Mom, hang up. We’re just hanging out.” But now I have all these memories, things that we can look back on, and I’m so grateful for that,” she said.
Kuri described her husband, a pipe fitter with whom she lived for 13 years, as her best friend who “did everything for everyone else.”
On Facebook, she shared a love tribute with him, writing, “You took care of our family better than anyone could ever.” Take care of our kids and I promise to take care of B and take him on the best adventures. I will miss you until we are together again, Mike.”
Her daughter Kinley was a “sweet, kind soul” who “befriended everyone and everything”.
She said her mother was “free-spirited” who loved her grandchildren.
Her daughter Kinley was a “sweet, kind soul” who “befriended everyone and everything”.
“Take care of our kids and I promise to take care of B and take him on the best adventures,” she wrote to her husband on Facebook.
Her son Owen was fearless but also polite, her “favourite little rowdy boy”.
Sharing a video of the little girl on Facebook, she wrote: “Wish I could spend one more day with you to say goodbye.” Kinley June, you were my favorite girl in the whole world.
Her son Owen was fearless yet polite, her “favorite little rambunctious boy”.
“Take dad, sister and Mimi on the best adventure. I will miss you until we are together again. Kisses and hugs my little love,” she wrote to him on Facebook.
Finally, her mother was a “free-spirited” who loved her grandchildren.
Kuri said the experience reminded her of the importance of kindness, and she is grateful for the over $554,000 in donations that have gone to GoFundMe.
“I know everyone says that life is short, but you never know. You never know. It just reminded me to be kind,” she said.
Kouri was hospitalized for ten days after the tornado and underwent several surgeries.
A friend posted updates on Facebook showing some of her injuries.
Kuri is pictured with Bryzen, her stepfather, and one of her brothers, who all survived the tornado.
Kuri said the experience reminded her of the importance of kindness, and she is grateful for the over $554,000 in donations that have gone to GoFundMe.
The March 5 tornado was the deadliest in Iowa since May 2008, when a single tornado destroyed nearly 300 homes and killed nine people in the northern Iowa city of Parkersburg. A month later, another tornado killed four boys at Little Sioux Boy Scout Ranch in Western Iowa.
Rodney Clark, 64, and Cecilia Lloyd, 72, both from Winterset, were also named among the victims of the March 5 tornado.
Officials said several houses were damaged or destroyed, roads were blocked by broken lines, and high winds tore tree branches.
At one point, the power outage affected more than 10,000 people in the Des Moines area. The next evening, about 800 customers were left without electricity.
Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Jensini said there were many examples of deadly storms in March, though they are more common in April and May.
Saturday’s storms weren’t as unusual as the mid-December tornado outbreak in Iowa last year, he said.
The remains of a home are scattered among the rubble as cleanup work is underway in Winterset, Iowa, on Sunday.
People stand among the rubble as they clean up in Winterset, Iowa, on Sunday.
The March 5 tornado was the deadliest in Iowa since May 2008, when a single tornado destroyed nearly 300 homes and killed nine people in the northern Iowa city of Parkersburg.
“The storms that these tornadoes produce – these supercell storms – they don’t care what the calendar says,” Jencini said.
“You don’t have to say June. You don’t have to say May. They form whenever the ingredients are present. And they certainly were present yesterday.
Scientists have said that extreme weather events and higher temperatures are more likely with human-induced climate change.
Jensini said Saturday’s storms likely caused more than $1 billion in damage across their entire track, if severe damage in Iowa is combined with wind damage even in Illinois.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster relief order for Madison County that allows the state’s resources to be used to assist with disaster relief and recovery. Madison County Director of Emergency Management Diogenes Ayala said 52 homes were damaged or destroyed for nearly 14 miles.