Granbury Family Hopes Gov. Perry Will Help Them Rebuild

Gov. Rick Perry to tour Granbury Friday

Tornado victims in Granbury hope Gov. Rick Perry will help them rebuild their lives after his scheduled tour of the devastation Friday.

"We were showing each other our different size hail," said Natalie Tort.

Natalie, her husband Anthony, and 11-year-old son Mateo, were comparing samples of golf ball-sized hail Wednesday night when they heard the tornado sirens at their home in the Rancho Brazos Estates neighborhood.

"We went into the closet and put blankets and pillows on our heads," said Mateo Tort.

The tornado, which officials later rated as an EF-4 with winds up to 200 mph, tore through the subdivision.

"It just all started crashing down around us.  It seemed like forever.  It just sounded like a train coming through our living room," said Natalie Tort.

"All you see is this big funnel, and you look up at it and terror comes over you," said Anthony Tort.

The family survived and emerged to the devastation.  "I was sad.  Everything was gone," said Mateo Tort.

Their home has damage, but the walls are still standing.  Natalie Tort feels some guilt knowing that so many of their neighbors are not as lucky.

"I was shocked at the people around us, and how we were still OK.  That makes me feel bad, for feeling bad for myself when other people don't have anything anymore," she said.

Everyone is just waiting to get home to see if anything can be salvaged.

The Torts said many neighbors are now homeless and will need a hand from the governor to pick up the pieces.

"Hopefully he can see the devastation.  Hopefully he can start cleaning up and show us we need help here at home," Anthony Tort said.

The Tort's home was built by Habitat for Humanity, like half of their subdivision.  The family said they did the work once and plan to rebuild again.
 

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