'I'm lucky to be alive,' recounts man who survived St. Matthews tornado

ST. MATTHEWS, SC (WIS) - A St. Matthews man is still recovering from injuries he received when an EF-1 tornado threw his home from its foundation during Sunday's severe storm.

Frankie Ott, 61, was inside the mobile home with a friend at the time.

"Yeah I'm in a lot of pain, but I'm lucky to be alive," he said.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service concluded Monday that the tornado's winds likely reached speeds of up to 110 mph. Emergency crews who responded to the home on Ott Sisters Road say it rolled several times. Some items inside were thrown up to 300 yards.

"I remember the noise. It was loud," he said, "It was like a roar. The trailer was just shaking and then everything just went. The TV flew beside my head real close."

Ott was recovered alive from the debris. Both he and his rescuers say it was a board that stopped his refrigerator from landing on of him. Ott says in all he sustained several small fractures to his back as well as cuts and bruises.

His friend who was with him in the home at the time, Judy Odom,69, was also found alive. Her family says she suffered a broken back and is still being treated for her injuries.

Ott's family says members of their church in St. Matthews have reached out to them to see how they can help.

Copyright 2015 WIS. All rights reserved.