Paul and Gail Cline didn’t let go of each other — not even when a tornado tore through their Kentucky home and tore their arms away.
Now, the couple in their 60s is clinging to life in a hospital bed, their story both heart-wrenching and heroic.
Last Friday, a deadly tornado tore through Laurel County, Kentucky, destroying homes and leaving unimaginable devastation in its path. The tragedy has shaken communities across the state, yet amid the heartbreak, recovery efforts press on — with first responders, volunteers, and even local high school students stepping up to help rebuild what was lost.
For Paul and Gail Cline, the storm turned their lives upside down and became a struggle to simply stay alive.
“I see an arm down the hallway”
As the winds howled outside, Paul and Gail held onto each other inside their bedroom — until the twister hit. According to their nieces, Taylor Baker and Brandy Bowman, the force of the tornado was so violent that it ripped off each of their opposite arms while they were still clinging together.
“She said ‘I need help. I see an arm down the hallway,’” Bowman recalled in an interview with Lex18. “Which was actually Gail’s arm that was shredded during the tornado. The doctors said where they lost opposite arms is because they were holding each other.”
A neighbor heard the screams and rushed in to pull the couple out from the wreckage.
Gail on life support, Paul in shock
While Paul has shown some signs of improvement, Gail’s condition is critical. According to WRTV, Gail was placed in a medically induced coma and remains on life support. In addition to her missing arm, flying debris shattered her ribs, puncturing both lungs.
Baker says her uncle, who suffers from dementia, still doesn’t fully grasp what happened.
All I can’t get out of my head is just how terrified they both were,” she said. “I cannot imagine the fear that was going through their minds, but there’s one thing about them — they are godly people.”
Generations of memories — now gone
The house that once stood strong had been in their family for generations.
Family vacation packages
Now, it’s a skeleton of shattered glass, torn insulation, and splintered wood. Yet somehow, among the ruins, some things remain eerily untouched — like a robe in their bedroom.
“They were in this bedroom and you can see where stuff came through. This is where they were, and the neighbor came; he heard them screaming for help. So he came to help them. He pulled them out into the hallway there,” said Bowman.
