Malea Braxton and her family spent the day of April 26 like most everyone else in Alabama.

“I had heard the weather reports. But, like most people I didn’t really give it much thought,” Braxton, a Moody resident said.

“Some friends and I had talked about storms in the past and by God’s grace, our conversation had me thinking of where a safe place might be in our home.” she added. “You go through the rooms in your mind and wonder were the safest place is but, you don’t really expect to need to get in one of them.”

The early morning of April 27 was ugly in Moody. Dark clouds loomed and the forecasters warned of strong storms moving into the area.

“I was oblivious to it as I go into the shower,” Braxton stated. “I knew it was a day to watch the weather but we had no idea it was going to begin so early.”

At around 5:30 a.m., Braxton showered while her husband and children caught a few more minutes of sleep.

“My shower was interrupted by noise,” Braxton stated. “There was a horrible sound then everything kind of went crazy. The window in the bathroom was sucked out and glass was everywhere. My husband yelled for me to get out of the shower and we started making our round of the house waking kids and trying to get downstairs.”

The story is similar to all those around Alabama that day. Braxton and her husband Charlie herded their children into a small room without windows in the basement.

“Ceiling tiles were falling in the basement, noise was everywhere and everyone was upset but we were blessed. We were all safe.”

As the storm passed the stunned family, like the rest of their neighbors, went out into the street to survey the damage.

“Some of the people in our neighborhood had sections of their house lifted and set in a different area. Ours was intact. We were missing windows and shingles, and ceiling tiles but the important things were intact, our family,” she said.

Still, three months later, tarps cover roofs in the area and people are still rebuilding, but the outpouring of support, help and community began that afternoon and have not ceased throughout the ordeal.  Braxton’s family and neighbors have moved on for the most part, though their properties and their minds bear the scars of that terrifying day.

“I will be forever grateful that God led me to think and plan through a seemingly random conversation at lunch with friends,” she said. “He protected us and made provision to carry us safely through the storm.”