Wayne, Neb. Tornado Levels Family Home

(NECN/NBC News: Mark Freund- Wayne, Neb.) - One Wayne, Neb. family is thankful to be alive after a tornado completely flattened their home.

Of all the people touched by the tornado in Wayne, perhaps no one was affected more than Matt Krusemark, his wife Traci, and their three children.

"It got really quiet, and I heard it coming through the cornfield, and I headed for the basement and closed the door behind me. And then seconds later, the roof was gone, and I could feel the suction of the door getting pulled, and gravel's hitting us in the face and the kids are screaming. It was just chaotic," recalled Krusemark.

And so was the aftermath: downed power lines, a pile of furniture, and an empty foundation.

Once the tornado passed, Krusemark and his family were forced to exit through a window at the front of the house.

"I just felt we had to get out of there. I didn't know if the propane tank was leaking or if there was fire. So I cranked it open and hollered at the family to ‘get over here, let's get out of here.’"

Krusemark knows that if it wasn't for the home's storm shelter, this could have been worse.

"My father-in-law said last night, 'when I first saw that storm shelter, I thought that's pretty nice to have.' and it might have saved our lives,” said Krusemark.

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