Storm Takes Sapulpa Man On A Ride

By Dan Bewley, The News On 6

SAPULPA, OK -- The News On 6 is still hearing some amazing survival stories from Thursday's storms. Take the case of a Sapulpa man who went for a ride.

Casey McElhannon was fast asleep when his life was, literally, turned upside down.

"I can't believe I came out with only some minor scratches," McElhannon said.

Casey has an amazing story to tell.

"Felt like I was in a hamster cage. You know how they run the wheel," he said. "I felt like I couldn't keep up with the wheel, so I was just rolling in there."

The 23-year-old was fast asleep in his parents RV Thursday morning as an EF-2 tornado barreled through their property.

The RV was parked in the driveway. The wind knocked it off its cinder block, that's what woke Casey up. He looked out the window and saw a tree was snapped in half and the next thing he knew, he was airborne.

"It picked me up and flipped me backwards in the top and so my head landed on the ceiling and then it picked me up and flipped me forward twice," he said.

Rhonda McElhannon is Casey's mom. She watched the RV twist and twirl from inside her home.

Rhonda McElhannon, Casey's Mother: "It was probably up to the window, up to about that high."

Dan Bewley, The News On 6: "About to your shoulder?"

Rhonda McElhannon, Casey's Mother: "Yeah."

Dan Bewley, The News On 6: "That high?"

Rhonda McElhannon, Casey's Mother: "That high."

Dan Bewley, The News On 6: "Scary?"

Rhonda McElhannon, Casey's Mother: "Uh-huh, yes."

SkyNews 6 found the scene shortly after the tornado hit.

The view gives you a good idea of just how far the RV was thrown across the yard.

Once it stopped spinning, dad came to the rescue, Casey kicked his way out, and he stumbled back inside the house.

Rhonda McElhannon, Casey's Mother: "He was scared to death, he was in shock, he was shaking, and I didn't know what to do I just stood there in shock watching him come in the door, bleeding all over my floor."

Dan Bewley, The News On 6: "And then a big hug?"

Rhonda McElhannon, Casey's Mother: "And then a big hug, yeah, and kiss."

Casey only suffered a few minor injuries. He has a bruise and broken nose from where the TV hit him and he cut his foot on glass as he was escaping the RV.