Bruce and Ona Dunlap’s Friday night turned chaotic as the news warned of an EF2 tornado while their cable suddenly went out. To assess the situation, Bruce opened their home’s door in Logan County, Arkansas. However, upon stepping outside, he remarked to Ona that it was eerily quiet with no wind or any indication of a storm. Julie Moore, a close friend of the couple, shared with The Dodo that Ona insisted otherwise and urged them to seek shelter immediately. Little did they anticipate that moments later, their entire home would be destroyed by the tornado.
The couple was in a hurry to take action as they assisted their disabled housemate into the storm shelter. During this time, Bruce frantically searched for their four cats and two dogs. Unfortunately, one of their cats, Ladybug, was nowhere to be found, and one of their dogs, Dasha, refused to leave the house. Bruce had no choice but to leave without them. According to Moore, Dasha seemed to sense that something was wrong, so she went to the kitchen and laid down. Bruce was unsure of what to do, and by the time he reached the storm shelter, he could barely shut the door behind him.
A tornado hit the Dunlap’s house, resulting in the roof getting torn off and causing debris and personal belongings to scatter everywhere. When the Dunlaps and some friends came out of their shelter, it was too dark to see what part of the house was still standing. The next day, while surveying the wreckage, they were surprised to see their pet dog, Dasha, emerge from the rubble. Dasha ran towards them, and one of the Dunlaps’ friends, Ona, immediately grabbed her fur and face, apologizing for not being there earlier.
More took out her phone and captured some heartwarming moments of the reunion between Oona and Dasha, who interacted like people and even kissed each other. Oona and Bruce were happy that Dasha returned safely, but they still missed a family member, their cat Ladybug.
Then, miraculously, Ladybug found her way back to her mom. Ladybug was wet, cold, and shaking, but Oona immediately picked her up and removed the debris from her fur before hugging and squeezing her tightly. As they hugged each other, Bruce commented that they had found their kids.
The Dunlaps still have a lot of work to do before their family can fully recover, but they are incredibly grateful that everyone survived the disastrous night. Fortunately, they have the support of their community, who is gathering together to assist the family in any way they can. Though the tornado caused extensive damage, the Dunlaps are taking solace in their family bond, which remains unbroken and strong.