An MMA fighter in Kentucky was able to pull off a real-life act of heroism by saving his wife, sister-in-law, and several others who found themselves trapped in a candle factory that was leveled by a devastating hurricane.
Brian Brooks, an MMA veteran of 14 years, was at home lying in his bed Friday night, while his daughter and granddaughter were in a bathtub with helmets, pillows, and blankets to protect themselves from a tornado wreaking havoc upon his hometown of Mayfield, Kentucky. Tornadoes have been flattening and destroying entire communities across multiple states, especially Friday and Saturday. At least 74 people died in Kentucky, which was hit the hardest, and at least another 100 were missing, according to State Gov. Andy Beshear.
“It’s a miracle I even found them,” Brooks told Fox News. “I don’t know how it happened.”
Brooks went on to explain how the tornado had devastated the entirety of his local area, but had somehow just avoided his own house.
“Then, I get a phone call,” Brooks said. “It’s my wife. She calls and tells me she loves me, that she’s trapped, and they’re smashed. And she hung up.” “I jumped in the truck and flew to them”, Brooks said.
When Brian Brooks arrived at the scene, the factory could only be described as completely demolished.
“It was like the worst war movie you see on TV. The people that were screaming that you could not see in the dark,” Brooks said.
All he knew was that his wife had said she was in the women’s bathroom of said factory.
“I just started climbing and finding people, just helping everybody I could,” Brooks explained.
Brooks said he reached out to screaming people, being careful where he stepped and pulled workers out of the rubble. He was unsure how many he helped.
It was actually Brooks’ sister-in-law who noticed him, owing to the unique footwear that he likes to sport. He said he has footwear in a variety of colors.
“She knew it was me … she started hollering, ‘Brian,’” Brooks said.”I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ and started trying to pull, but, the roof, candle wax barrels, bathroom walls, rafters, everything was on top of them,” he told Fox News.
He tried to pry and pull, but the pipes and poles were all too long. Then, “some officers, thank God, they got me a crowbar.” Brooks was eventually able to get them out. His wife and her sister were sent to the hospital straight away to make sure they were alright.
Thankfully, they were indeed okay, as Brooks said that they returned home Monday “a little banged up, bruised, sore and just a lot of heartache. They didn’t think they were ever going to see us again,” the MMA fighter said. “I’m so grateful … I just want to say my prayers for everybody who wasn’t so lucky.” Were it not for the actions and quick thinking of Brian Brooks, who knows how much worse this terrible incident might have been.
A spokesman for the factory sadly later confirmed that 8 people lost their lives owing to the terrible tornado.