FL couple recovering after being thrown from home in storm

JAY, Fla. (WPEC) — A couple thrown from their home during Friday's storms in Florida is now recovering. The husband spoke to WEAR to describe the terrifying moments.

The house was completely ripped apart, but the station was told the couple didn't suffer major injuries.

Jessica and Mathew Nowling were hemmed in their home as hungry winds devoured everything in sight early Friday morning.

My wife woke me up and she was like, 'Look at this thunderstorm that's coming in,'" Mathew said. "I looked at it and was like, 'Oh yeah, that's gonna be a good little rain.' I got situated back in the bed. Next thing you know the mattress rolled. It went from flat to sticking up."

The storm peeled apart the storage building they converted into a tiny house.

"We heard rain hit the window for about 10 seconds," Mathew said. "And then right after that, only thing you could hear is wood crumbling and metal ripping."

"The bed was right here," he added. "When everything stopped, we ended up way out there. It was a rough ride."

The couple jumped in Mathew's truck and drove down the road to a relative's home, alive, but bumped and bruised.

She's got two knots on her head and she sprained her wrist," Mathew said of Jessica. "And then I broke something on the center of my shoulder in my neck."

The Jay native said he's ridden bulls before, but "that was nothing like riding a bull," he said. "I don't want that belt buckle. I ain't going for that eight seconds."

Mathew credits a higher power with protecting them from high winds.

"All I can say is God was watching out for us," he said. "He has plans for us. All we can do is build back."

The couple lost one of their puppies in the destruction, but Mathew said she returned Saturday morning.

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