Man says he hid in tub during tornado; shower the only part of his home left standing

ROLLING FORK, Miss. (WMC) - A man said hiding in a tub saved his life during deadly storms that killed 25 across Mississippi Friday night.

“I saw trees bending, heard the wind and saw power lines sparking,” Frank McNight told Action News 5. “I got in my bathtub and started praying.”

McNight, who lives in Rolling Fork, said he thanked God for sparing his life.

“I know lots of people weren’t so lucky,” McNight said.

Across the Mississippi Delta, and throughout the entire state, multiple tornados touched down Friday night. Preliminary reports from the National Weather Service indicate an EF-4 tornado hit Rolling Fork on Friday.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) told Action News 5 on Saturday that the community of Rolling Fork was by far the hardest hit.

“It’s devastating across the state,” said Malary White with MEMA. “But Snarky County was just awful.”

MEMA couldn’t immediately give specific breakdowns on the death toll in Rolling Fork or Snarky County, but early reports have seen people from across the country come in to help.

“I planned to go to an LSU game today. Saw the news on Facebook and everything and thought I gotta go help people,” said Dante Fontant who attends Flora First Baptist Church.

So Fontant gathered a group from his Flora Mississippi church together and drove to help with a few cases of water.

Now, they’ve turned into a main helpline in Rolling Fork.

“It keeps coming. People have just been so generous. It just keeps coming and coming we can’t stack it fast enough. And it’s going out as fast.” Fontant told Action News 5.

Fontant said he’s going to hold a worship service at the location Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

“They need some people here to encourage them,” he said. “I’m just trying to do my part.”

Governor Tate Reeves is going to be giving an update at Rolling Fork at noon Sunday. Action News 5 will bring updates from this news conference as they become available.

The people of Rolling Fork, Mississippi have experienced a tragic disaster that has left many dead and injured.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency confirmed that 25 people across the state were pronounced dead.

“When I seen how the trees were blowing and the sound of the wind coming and the powerlines sparking. I knew it was gonna be bad,” said Frank McNight of Rolling Fork, Mississippi.

McNight says he immediately hopped into his bathtub and started praying.

“When it blew over the only thing left standing was the shower wall where I was at. So I feel like the Lord answered my prayers and protected me,” said McNight.

McNight lost everything he owns in the storm but he told Action News 5 that he’s grateful to still have his life. He is also grateful for the outpouring of love that’s descended on his hometown of fewer than 2000 people.

The town of Rolling Fork was one of the areas that were hit the hardest.

“I was actually planning on going to an LSU baseball game. Saw the news on Facebook and everything and thought I gotta go help people,” said Dante Fontant who attends Flora First Baptist Church.

Fontant gathered a group from his Flora Mississippi church together and drove about an hour north to help with a few cases of water.

He says he’s had people from as far away as Minnesota show up and offer whatever they had to the people in Rolling Fork.

“It keeps coming. People have just been so generous. It just keeps coming and coming we can’t stack it fast enough. And it’s going out as fast,” said Fontant.

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