This past weekend residents of Ville Platte Kentucky woke up to immense damage to their homes, their places of work, and their neighborhoods following a tornado that hit Sunday morning.
With recovery and clean-up crews are well underway with their efforts, the residents started to see a light at the end of their stormy tunnel.
One family from the Evangeline Parish told KFLY News 10 that the believed that their faith had saved them from the tornado damage that struck the area.
John and Angela Briley, who have lived in their Kentucky home for the past 16 years, credit their safety to a statue of Saint Francis.
John explained to KFLY News 10 that it was the statue of Saint Francis, sitting in one of their trees, that kept their house from any substantial damage.
“Lightning struck. The tree was there. The sky lit up again. The tree was gone. I looked this way and I saw it,” John pointed out.
The Briley’s explained that when the tornado hit, three of their trees fell to the ground, including the one on which Saint Francis was mounted.
“That’s Saint Francis,” Angela Briley said, “and I really think he guided these trees away from our house, and I really think he protected us because he’s still sitting like this in the tree when we got up yesterday morning.”
They explained that the statue of St. Francis stayed mounted on the tree even though the tree came tumbling down.
“He was still here just as you see him, and I really think the size of these trees, it would’ve crushed the back end of my house where my bedroom is so I really think he guided these three massive trees away from my house and protected us,” added Angela Briley.
The Briley’s also believe that the tornado was a sign for the community of Ville Platte to come together, and turn to their faith in times of trouble.
“I think this is a message for Ville Platte to wake up and people need to come together as a family and a group and a lot of people have done that, but I think this will bring a lot of people closer and they need to turn to their faith,” said Angela Briley.