‘I've never been more scared': KC metro man recalls harrowing encounter with tornado
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Caught in the middle of brutal rain, roaring winds, and complete uncertainty, one Kansas City metro man is lucky to be alive to share his story.
'It was the scariest I've ever been in my entire life—I've never been more scared than I was last night,' said Jason Cupp, still shaken after what forecasters now believe may have been a tornado.
View the latest Weather Alerts in the Kansas City region on FOX4
Cupp is one of several people across the region sharing terrifying stories in the wake of severe weather that swept through the metro area just a day ago. His experience stands out, not just for what happened, but for the sheer will it took to survive it.
Cupp was heading home from the Lake of the Ozarks Monday evening, when conditions took a sudden and violent turn.
'My phone went off—tornado warning. Then my car alerted me—I have OnStar,' Cupp recalled. 'I knew I needed to find a ditch. I knew I needed to be away from any tall trees.'
But there was no time.
In an instant, intense rain gave way to howling winds shaking his truck as it sat parked in the middle of nowhere.
'I had my hand on the seatbelt and one on the door handle,' he said.
Radar images show a powerful system hovering over central Missouri, right over the area where Cupp's truck was located.
Forecasters say winds likely topped 60 miles per hour, slamming through areas near Warsaw, where debris is now scattered across properties and roadways.
While the National Weather Service is still surveying damage to confirm if it was a tornado, for the people who lived through it, the label doesn't matter.
'Thirty days ago, yesterday, my dad passed away,' Cupp said. 'And I've got to tell you, I was sitting in that car thinking, 'I'm not ready to be with my mom and dad. This is not the way my life is going to end,'' Cupp said.
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Cleanup is underway, and families across the region are still assessing the damage. The National Weather Service is expected to release more details following its official survey.
Stay with FOX4 for the latest updates as we continue to track damage reports and weather developments.
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