Jarred Holmes was supposed to have been working inside a candle factory when it was ripped apart by a monstrous tornado that killed an untold number of employees and trapped many others under mounds of debris.
But Holmes' fiancee had insisted he stay home Friday night because of the looming weather.
"She told me she had a bad feeling," Holmes, 20, said Saturday outside the factory, where he awaited word on his coworkers. "I was going to go to work, but she basically demanded me to stay home."
Kentucky residents affected by the twister grappled with its force and destruction and shared harrowing stories of survival even as some rushed out to help with rescue efforts. Gov. Andy Beshear said upwards of 70 people may have died when the tornado touched down for more than 200 miles (320 kilometres) in his state, but the number of deaths could exceed 100 across 10 or more counties.
Vernon Evans sifted through debris at one of the many residential houses that were torn to bits near Mayfield`s downtown center. Earlier Saturday, he said he helped firefighters evacuate people from under a brick wall that collapsed at a nursing home. He recalled finding one resident dead and lying facedown in a few inches of water.
"All I could do is sit there and hold their head up," he said. "I never experienced nothing like this."
In Mayfield, heaps of debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground. Twisted metal sheeting, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets. Windows and roofs were blown off the buildings that were still standing.
Bob Waldridge, pastor of Yahweh Baptist Church, loaded chairs, pews and sound equipment from the damaged 100-year-old church building into a trailer. He arrived at the church to find water everywhere.
"The wind came through, and everything that was in the foyer ended up in the back of the church," he said. "And it blew the back wall of the church out, and it took the roof off the church."
He said church members intend to have a prayer service Sunday, and several other local churches had reached out to offer their space. One family that attends church was in their home when it was leveled by the storm, and two members of that family were flown by helicopter to a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, he said.
"It's just a building, but I'm more worried about the people. There are a lot of folks that are hurt right now," he said.
Graves County Circuit Judge Kevin Bishop, who lives just outside Mayfield, said his family rode out the storm in a bathroom.
"We hunkered down with as many pillows and blankets over everybody's heads and prayed," he said.
His home suffered minor damage, but the storm tore off the roof of the courthouse where he works. He said it will take a while for Mayfield to recover.
"We're strong, we'll work together, but it's going to be a long time," he said.
Courtney Saxton, 38, and five of her children got into a bathtub to try to stay safe when the twister struck. When she emerged, the roof of her Mayfield home was gone. Saxton's family sought shelter Saturday night at the St. Jerome Parish Hall in nearby Fancy Farm.
Her kids, ranging in age from 3 to 13, were adjusting to their new surroundings. A TV played kids' movies and a table was arrayed with coloring books, crayons and games. The children were not injured, but she recalled their terror.
"They were scared, screaming, crying," she said. "It was awful. I was trying to calm them down, but the whole time I'm praying. I knew that God would see us through."
Her husband, Mark, was working at the candle factory and got trapped under debris for hours before he was rescued. He had cuts and scrapes but was otherwise OK.
"He was calling us hollering and screaming and crying because he was stuck," she said. "It was scary for me because I'm thinking, `Oh my God, is he going to make it? So I prayed with him over the phone, too. I just kept talking to him, kept telling him that God will work it out, be strong, don't give up, keep fighting."
After reaching peak intensity with wind speeds of 180 m.p.h. (285 km/h) on Monday night, Milton became the strongest storm on our planet for 2024.
Hurricane Milton is expected to leave a path of devastation across central Florida, from Tampa in the west to Daytona Beach in the east.
A seasoned American meteorologist became emotional on air as he gave an update on a major hurricane, later suggesting the reason behind his strong reaction.
The minority Liberal government is not considering proroguing Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday, despite persisting uncertainty over who is willing to keep propping them up and procedural wrangling over a Conservative led-privilege debate.
The Ontario Ministry of Health says four people have been sickened after consuming beef tongue believed to be contaminated with listeria.
Former cabinet minister Marc Garneau, who describes himself in his new book as always-a-Liberal, 'but a decidedly blue one,' says he hopes the party still has room for someone like him.
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On September 11, Madeleine Gervais was the victim of a theft in Ottawa's west end. It happened in the Loblaws parking lot in College Square, when she was approached by a man and a woman who insisted to help her load her groceries into her car.
On September 11, Madeleine Gervais was the victim of a theft in Ottawa's west end. It happened in the Loblaws parking lot in College Square, when she was approached by a man and a woman who insisted to help her load her groceries into her car.
Political leaders are condemning what they describe as "hateful rhetoric" from a speaker at a pro-Palestinian rally in Vancouver who told the crowd that 'we are Hezbollah and we are Hamas.'
A British Columbia provincial court judge says a Boston Bar man who shot a teacup Chihuahua named Bear claiming it was menacing his chickens was not justified in killing the animal.
More than two weeks have passed since Hassan Ali walked out of a Toronto courtroom a free man, after prosecutors decided not to move forward with a first-degree murder trial against the local rapper.
Elections BC is reissuing new 'where to vote' cards to some residents after an administrative error mistakenly recommended voting places that were farther from homes than necessary.
The province’s consumer watchdog is investigating a Saskatoon company selling luxury vacation condos in Mexico.
The Dominican Republic said Tuesday it has deported or repatriated nearly 11,000 Haitians in the past week, fulfilling a pledge to do so weekly as neighboring Haiti scrambles to handle the influx while besieged by gang violence and poverty.
Florida gas stations struggled to keep up with demand Tuesday as long lines and empty pumps compounded the stress for residents planning to hunker down or flee as Hurricane Milton approached the state's western coast.
The FBI has arrested an Afghan man who officials say was inspired by the Islamic State and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S., the Justice Department said Tuesday.
Donald Trump has had as many as seven private phone calls with Vladimir Putin since leaving office and secretly sent the Russian president COVID-19 test machines during the height of the pandemic, Bob Woodward reported in his new book, 'War.'
A former New York City official was charged Tuesday with witness tampering and destroying evidence in a federal investigation that led to Mayor Eric Adams’ bribery indictment. The arrest came amid yet more high-profile departures from Adams' administration as federal prosecutors delve deeper into allegations that the mayor was involved in a coverup.
A seasoned American meteorologist became emotional on air as he gave an update on a major hurricane, later suggesting the reason behind his strong reaction.
The minority Liberal government is not considering proroguing Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday, despite persisting uncertainty over who is willing to keep propping them up and procedural wrangling over a Conservative led-privilege debate.
Former cabinet minister Marc Garneau, who describes himself in his new book as always-a-Liberal, 'but a decidedly blue one,' says he hopes the party still has room for someone like him.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is not allowed to speak in the House of Commons today as his public feud with Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly spilled into a second day.
The Ontario Ministry of Health says four people have been sickened after consuming beef tongue believed to be contaminated with listeria.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States, with 42,000 women dying every year from this cancer.
A new report that looks at the sex lives of Canadian youth suggests more needs to be done to encourage safe sex, including reversing a decrease in condom use.
The Brazilian Supreme Court's Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Tuesday authorized the restoration of social media platform X´s service in Brazil, over a month after its nationwide shutdown, according to a statement posted on the court's website.
A British-Canadian researcher has won the Nobel Prize in physics for work developing the foundations of machine learning and artificial intelligence. The University of Toronto's Geoffrey Hinton was awarded the prize Tuesday morning, along with Princeton University researcher John Hopfield.
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An elevator mechanic mistakenly threw out a piece of artwork, made to look like empty beer cans, assuming it was litter, a Dutch museum revealed earlier this month.
Sum 41 lead singer Deryck Whibley alleges in his new memoir that he was pressured into a secret sexual relationship with his former manager, Treble Charger frontman Greig Nori.
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Statistics Canada says the country posted a merchandise trade deficit of $1.1 billion in August as lower oil prices weighed on exports.
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A Toronto senior says she can’t believe that two roofers took advantage of her, despite knowing she was recently widowed and suffering from a painful disability.
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RJ Barrett will miss the rest of the Toronto Raptors' pre-season with an injury.
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson made the stunning decision Tuesday to fire Saleh five games into his fourth season after the team's 2-3 start following a 23-17 loss to Minnesota in London on Sunday.
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Tesla is recalling more than 27,000 Cybertrucks because the rearview camera image may not activate immediately after shifting into reverse, the fifth recall for the vehicle since it went on sale late last year.
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Avry Wortman, 13, scored two touchdowns on Sunday during her team's win in the under 14 Greater Moncton Football Association.
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After reaching peak intensity with wind speeds of 180 m.p.h. (285 km/h) on Monday night, Milton became the strongest storm on our planet for 2024.
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International award-winning editorial cartoonist Michael de Adder has been cut from the Halifax Chronicle Herald.
After reaching peak intensity with wind speeds of 180 m.p.h. (285 km/h) on Monday night, Milton became the strongest storm on our planet for 2024.
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Manitoba RCMP and the Winnipeg Police Service are launching Manitoba's Most Wanted website.
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An app developed at the University of Guelph is aimed at making accessible doors more accessible.
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Saskatoon Transit workers have ratified a new five-year contract with the city.
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A crash Tuesday afternoon on Highway 144 has closed the road north of Sudbury.
After reaching peak intensity with wind speeds of 180 m.p.h. (285 km/h) on Monday night, Milton became the strongest storm on our planet for 2024.
Police in Huntsville are investigating a deadly single-vehicle collision that happened Tuesday morning.
Speaking in front of the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee, London Police Services (LPS) Chief Thai Truong gave an update on policing Tuesday.
After reaching peak intensity with wind speeds of 180 m.p.h. (285 km/h) on Monday night, Milton became the strongest storm on our planet for 2024.
During Fire Prevention Week, fire departments across the country are trying to prevent more deaths with the proper use of smoke alarms.
A 20-year-old man who was behind the wheel of a speeding car that struck and killed an international student in Barrie last summer pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death on Tuesday but will not spend any time behind bars.
Police in Huntsville are investigating a deadly single-vehicle collision that happened Tuesday morning.
Police arrested a man accused of setting an animal on fire in Orillia, Ont. last month.
A Toronto couple pleaded guilty to involvement in a $13-million drug investigation that started in Windsor.
The Windsor Police Service is investigating two break-ins that took place at schools in the city last week.
The busiest international crossing in North America is about to get busier — and it’s put the City of Windsor in a position to prepare for potential worst-case scenarios.
A retrial date has been set for a man accused of fatally shooting a rival gang member and an innocent teen passerby in Vancouver in 2018.
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The leaders of B.C.'s three main political parties will be facing off Tuesday evening for their first and only televised debate ahead of the Oct. 19 election. Here's what viewers can expect.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
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Charges have been laid against a 44-year-old man following a traffic stop in Brocket, Piikani Nation RCMP said Tuesday.
A metal fabrication company west of Medicine Hat has been fined by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) following a workplace fatality in 2023.
A Lethbridge police officer involved in a scandal involving former Lethbridge New Democrat MLA Shannon Phillips has been reprimanded.
A woman in Greater Sudbury, Ont., said "It doesn't get more Canadian than this" when she spotted a black bear dumpster diving at a Tim Hortons last month.
The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is the latest organization to call on the Doug Ford government to re-open dialogue with an airline service that transports lower-income Canadians to crucial medical care far from home.
For decades, Mississauga First Nation has known that human remains from their land were at the Canadian Museum of History.
A Conservative MP from Newfoundland and Labrador says some small towns in his rural riding are overrun with crime, but police say they haven't received reports to that effect.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
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