A harrowing tale of survival has unfolded in the American South, as a man rode out a devastating EF-3 tornado in his van. In a stunning display of resilience and quick thinking, Cody Coombes navigated the treacherous weather conditions in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Eyewitnesses describe the scene as "apocalyptic," with winds reaching an estimated 165 miles per hour, leveling buildings and uprooting trees. The National Weather Service confirmed that the tornado had ripped through Pulaski and Lonoke counties, claiming a life in North Little Rock and four more fatalities in Wynne.
Coombes, who uses his pest control van for daily transportation, found himself at the epicenter of the storm when it suddenly touched down nearby. Rather than flee or seek shelter, he bravely stayed inside the vehicle as the tornado raged on.
"It was like nothing I've ever experienced before," Coombes recounted in an interview. "The wind was so loud, and the debris was flying everywhere... I just held on for dear life."
Miraculously, Coombes emerged from the van with no serious injuries, despite being buffeted by powerful gusts and lashed by debris.
While the full extent of the damage is still unknown, officials have confirmed that multiple homes were destroyed, leaving families without shelter or access to basic necessities. As the community struggles to come to terms with this disaster, Coombes's remarkable story serves as a testament to human endurance in the face of extreme adversity.
Watch Cody Coombes recount his harrowing experience inside the CNN video above.
Eyewitnesses describe the scene as "apocalyptic," with winds reaching an estimated 165 miles per hour, leveling buildings and uprooting trees. The National Weather Service confirmed that the tornado had ripped through Pulaski and Lonoke counties, claiming a life in North Little Rock and four more fatalities in Wynne.
Coombes, who uses his pest control van for daily transportation, found himself at the epicenter of the storm when it suddenly touched down nearby. Rather than flee or seek shelter, he bravely stayed inside the vehicle as the tornado raged on.
"It was like nothing I've ever experienced before," Coombes recounted in an interview. "The wind was so loud, and the debris was flying everywhere... I just held on for dear life."
Miraculously, Coombes emerged from the van with no serious injuries, despite being buffeted by powerful gusts and lashed by debris.
While the full extent of the damage is still unknown, officials have confirmed that multiple homes were destroyed, leaving families without shelter or access to basic necessities. As the community struggles to come to terms with this disaster, Coombes's remarkable story serves as a testament to human endurance in the face of extreme adversity.
Watch Cody Coombes recount his harrowing experience inside the CNN video above.
It's insane he came out without any serious injuries. The fact that multiple homes were destroyed is just heartbreaking, though. 
These communities are gonna need some serious support to get back on their feet. We should all be sending our thoughts and prayers to those affected 
. I mean, riding out an EF-3 tornado is crazy talk... like, what was he thinking? 
But at the same time, you gotta respect him for staying calm and holding on for dear life. That's some serious bravery right there 
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. I mean, was he checked out by medics? Did he get any counseling or anything? Just curious about that 
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I mean, can you even imagine being stuck in that van during an EF-3 tornado? It's like something out of a sci-fi movie! The level of resilience and bravery displayed by Cody Coombes is truly awe-inspiring 
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And don't even get me started on how lucky he was that he didn't get hurt 
I guess we'll never know for sure, but one thing's for sure - this whole story is super crazy 
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[Image of a person holding on for dear life with a van driving in the background, with tornado debris flying everywhere] 
anyway gotta give it to coombes he's a true survivor and i'm glad he made it out unscathed 
anyway, at least he made it out unscathed... now if only the rest of us could say that about our insurance premiums 
The debris flying everywhere, winds that loud... no thanks! Just thinking about it gives me the chills.
i mean i've heard of people being stuck in traffic, but this is on another level 
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... Can't believe someone managed to survive in a van during this chaos 
... Coombes's story might be inspiring, but it's also a harsh reminder that disaster can strike anyone, anytime 
! I mean, can you even imagine being that close to a tornado and still making it out alive? 
The winds must've been insane, 165 miles per hour is no joke 
. He could've easily panicked and gotten hurt, but he stayed calm and held on for dear life 
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. Anyway, it's good to see stories like this one reminding us all that we're not alone and there are people out there with hearts made of gold