Katie Derksen Photography

Photojournalism: Lady Lake, Fla., tornado

“The tornado picked up her trailer and wrapped it around a tree. That poor lady across the way … they found her dead somewhere.”

Richard Carter, resident of the Sunshine Mobile Home Park, Lady Lake, Fla.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on Feb. 2, 2007, a tornado swept through central Florida, leaving approximately 1,500 homes either damaged or destroyed, according to FEMA. The area, which included Lake, Sumter, Volusia and Seminole counties, was declared a federal disaster area by President George W. Bush.

Twenty residents lost their lives.

Tim Thomas, a member of the Lady Lake Church of God, finds a Bible in the rubble Friday, Feb. 2, 2007. The church was completely destroyed when a tornado swept through the area in the early morning hours.
   
From left to right, Terry Lynn, Scott Lynn and Jeremy Lynn dig through the rubble Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007, while atop the remains of what used to be the Lady Lake Church of God. A tornado swept through the area early Friday morning, destroying the church.
   
"I'm going to miss all my friends," said Richard Carter, a resident of the Sunshine Mobile Home Park, Lady Lake, Fla., as he stands on his doorstep Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007. Carter said he curled up in bed with his dog while Friday morning's tornado swept through the area. Carter's next door neighbor was killed in the storm.
     
  
Bob Jolly, whose house was on Lynchburg Loop, The Villages, Fla., walks through his garage Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007. Jolly and his wife, Jo, were not seriously injured when Friday morning's Tornado struck. The Jollys plan to rebuild, but in the meantime, they will stay at another Village couple's home.
   
"That's not where we normally keep it," said Villager Shirley Hamby with a laugh. The home of Hamby and her husband, Paul, was damaged during the early morning hours of Friday, Feb. 2, 2007. The Hambys, who live on Duffy Loop in the Village of Sabal Chase, were sleeping when the storm hit. Although their home was nearly destroyed, the two were not injured. A tornado swept through the area and damaged several hundred homes.
   
Breck Pratt, 7, of Kissimmee, Fla., covers her eyes Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007, at the Lady Lake Church of God while the helicopter carrying Gov. Charlie Crist lands. A tornado swept through the area early Friday morning, destroying the church.
     
  
Tom England, a member of the Lady Lake Church of God, pauses for a moment amongst the rubble Friday, Feb. 2, 2007. The church was completely destroyed when a tornado swept through the area in the early morning hours.
   
Thelma Bowman looks down at her living room floor in the Lady Lake Mobile Home Park Wednesday afternoon. Loretta Schott, of Harbor Hills, Fla., hurried to her parents' house in the Lady Lake Mobile Home Park early Friday morning, right before the storm struck. Schott came to rescue her parents, Bowman and her husband, Lee, but the three of them ended up riding out the storm in the Bowmans' bathroom. Although the Bowmans' mobile home was destroyed, the couple plans to stay put; they already have purchased another mobile home.
   
William Countryman, of Lady Lake, Fla., carries a wooden cross Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007, out of what used to be the Lady Lake Church of God. A tornado swept through the area early Friday morning, destroying the church.
     
  
Renee Lipps, a member of the Lady Lake Church of God, digs through some of the rubble Friday, Feb. 2, 2007. The church was completely destroyed when a tornado swept through the area in the early morning hours.
   
Jose Baez, right, gives his 2-year-old son, Diego, a kiss on the cheek in front of the Lady Lake mobile home Baez rents with his wife and two children. The Baez family was home when the storm struck in the early morning hours of Friday, Feb. 2, 2007.