Their house is splintered, she told The Associated Press. Annistyn was a bubbly little girl, her great aunt Sandra Hooker told People . (Meghan Rackley, courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP). Ms Hooker said Annistyns parents learned when she was two months old that she had a rare liver disorder in which bile ducts dont develop properly, sometimes making it hard to fight off illness. Her nine-year-old daughter, Annistyn, was killed by the tornado. "All of them were absolutely covered in mud from head to toe," Hooker says of the immediate aftermath. All rights reserved. But she adds that finding those three specific, tangible pieces from the girl's life are a comfort. Ms Hooker called Annistyn a special angel, recalling the girl as outgoing and energetic despite a rare liver condition that required regular doctors visits. Hooker added that she would often call Annistyn an "angel among us.". The Caruthersville community held a service Sunday to honor Annistyn Rackley and keep her family in their thoughts. All rights reserved. Hooker is the sister of Meghan Rackleys grandmother, and she said she and Annistyn, or Anni, grew close over the past four years. Man Who Fatally Shot, Then Burned Bodies of Grandparents, Sister, and 3-Month-Old Gets 4 Life Terms, 2 on Hunting Trip Including Boy, 12 Found Dead as Family Searches for Dad After Tenn. Tornado, 5-Month-Old Baby Dies After Ky. Tornado Destroys Home, Parents Remain Hospitalized: 'They Lost Everything', These 4 Fla. 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But she said Annistyn still was full of energy and delighted in donning outfits and makeup for cheer competitions and learning new dances from TikTok. "And she'll never be forgotten by us.". According to initial reports from the NWS Storm Prediction Center, a possible tornado was reported on the ground in Champaign. They brought Baby MawMaw to me, and Im cleaning her up so that Ava can have Baby MawMaw, she said. She was the strongest kid.". Seven-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around in the tornado, Ms Hooker said. "She was born with biliary atresia. However, the entire Chicago area has seen heavy, on-and-off downpours throughout the morning. In this photo provided by Sandra Hooker, from left, Avalinn Rackley, 7, Alanna Rackley, 3, and Annistyn Rackley, 9, pose for a picture in a bathroom in their home near Caruthersville, Missouri. Tornadoes also roared through both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the St Louis area, as well as the Memphis, Tennessee, area and parts of Arkansas and Illinois. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Annistyn was among dozens of people who died in tornadoes on Friday. The family's home was hit by a massive tornado on Friday night. 0:00. Hooker said that Annistyn Rackleys family hadnt yet unpacked from their move Dec. 4 from Caruthersville to their new home along Highway J, just west of the city. A MOM took a heartbreaking final snap of her daughter holding onto her favorite doll to show she was safe before a series of deadly tornadoes hit the Midwest. According to forecast models, the chance for such weather will be the highest south of the Kankakee River, and along and south of Interstate 80, forecast models show. The family member is grateful for her community's emotional and financial support to date, as they pray the mother and elementary school teacher pulls through. We celebrate our miracle, Meghan doing so well, when originally we didnt even know if she would ever wake up, Meghans mother, Pamela Proctor Moore, told KAIT8s Chris Carter. In this photo provided by Sandra Hooker, from left, Avalinn Rackley, 7, Alanna Rackley, 3, and Annistyn Rackley, 9, pose for a picture in a bathroom in their home near Caruthersville, Missouri. Hooker said Meghan Rackley's injuries included broken bones, a brain injury and a large cut, and she's asking people to pray for the 32-year-old mother. The middle child, Avalinn, or Ava, had broken vertebrae in her back and was expected to undergo surgery Wednesday, Hooker said. '", "They knew that this was gonna come," says Hooker. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday. Just before 10 a.m., a Tornado warning was issued for central DuPage County, "with a thunderstorm capable of producing a brief spin-up tornado over Warrenville and Naperville.". Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Sunshine returns to SoCal on Thursday but cold temps stick around, AccuWeather: AM showers before a mild afternoon, Texas lawmakers go over school safety report card, Deputies release minute-by-minute timeline of shootings that killed woman, reporter & girl. Seven-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around "in the tornado," Hooker said. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Legal Statement. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. "Maybe she won't be forgotten too quickly," she says. "They brought in a specialist to clean the debris out of her eyes. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Market data provided by Factset. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The Rackley family also received gift cards from the former President and his family as Christmas gifts. Family and friends set up a donation drive to assist the Rackleys with medical expenses and funds to help them find a new home. (Dec. 13), A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. After Ava reached a hospital in Memphis, Ms Hooker said, she learned from family there that the young girl had told doctors and nurses, I was flying around in the tornado and I prayed to Jesus to take care of me, and he spit me out and the tornado spit me out into the mud.. They had an acre lot surrounded on three sides by a field. All rights reserved. Tornadoes also roared through both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the St. Louis area, as well as the Memphis, Tennessee, area and parts of Arkansas and Illinois. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. can you take me to see Anni? MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Missouri family took a direct hit from the tornado on Dec. 10. Hooker called Annistyn Rackley a "special angel," recalling the girl as outgoing and energetic despite a rare liver condition that required regular doctors visits. Nikolas Lanum is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Seven-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around in the tornado, Hooker said. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged across the country's midsection. Hooker teaches gifted students at the same elementary school where Meghan Rackley teaches kindergarten in Caruthersville, which is nestled next to the Mississippi River in whats known as Missouris Bootheel region. Copyright 2023 ec Estudio Integral. The middle child, Avalinn, or Ava, had broken vertebrae in her back and was expected to undergo surgery Wednesday, Ms Hooker said. He and the youngest daughter, 3-year-old Alanna, are no longer in the hospital. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged across the middle of the country. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday. Our hearts are shattered over the loss of Annistyn, Proctor Moore said. Hooker said Annistyns parents learned when she was 2 months old that she had a rare liver disorder in which bile ducts dont develop properly, sometimes making it hard to fight off illness. The familys home was destroyed as they were carried into the air by the twister, landing in a field where they were found in the mud by first responders. Mike Parson's office said that about 30,000 Missouri residents initially were without power. She said she bonded with Annistyn during doctors visits and blood draws and said the girl liked to draw with chalk on the cement of her carport. All rights reserved. Although much of the area will see rain, thunder, lightning and gusty winds, other parts will see stronger storms with damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour, the NBC 5 Storm Team says. Annistyn, a third-grader who loved swimming, dancing and cheerleading, was among dozens of people who died because of the severe storm on Friday. Ava was still in pediatric intensive care as of Monday afternoon. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Hooker reflected on the 9-year-old's perseverance in her young life, following a diagnosis of a rare live disease. "Then she said, 'Then I'll have to be the big sister to Lani.'". (Meghan Rackley/Courtesy of Sandra Hooker via AP), Memphis LGBTQ+ activists protest Gov. Trey and Meghan Rackley and their three daughters sought shelter in a windowless bathroom in their southeast Missouri home as storms raged across the middle of the country. 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