On Friday, May 16, 2025 around 6:20pm, an EF4 tornado—just 10mph shy of an EF5—tore through Southern Illinois.

I, Brittany Bryant, captured this footage of what my family and I witnessed in the immediate aftermath of the tornado. Nearly everything around us was lost—everything except our home. We are deeply grateful that the structure endured, and that every one of our chickens, and four dogs who sheltered with us in the basement, survived.

The tornado stretched nearly 575 yards wide and carved a path of destruction for over 16.5 miles

Many families weren’t as fortunate—entire homes were reduced to rubble. Yet, in the midst of devastation, the way our community has come together has been nothing short of extraordinary. Our hearts are with every single person affected.