TEMPLE, Texas — A Temple father is sharing more details about his incredible story of survival. His experience has now caught the attention of millions of people across the country.
27-year-old Ryan Leamer says strong winds lifted and flipped his Ford truck on May 22 as storms ripped through Temple.
6 News first spoke with Leamer on May 23. He still has some scratches, but he's just grateful to be alive today. Most importantly, he's thankful his 6-year-old son, Asher, wasn't with him.
"I didn't realize how high in the air I really was," Ryan Leamer said. "Seeing it up above the power lines was pretty crazy."
Leamer was in his Ford Ranger, stuck in an EF-2 tornado.
"While I was in the air, I kind of hit my head into the doorframe once," Leamer added. "Then I hit it twice and started to see stars. I just told myself 'You can't lose consciousness.'"
The 27-year-old believes he flew over multiple lanes along West Adams.
"I grabbed the wheel and tucked my neck and probably about a second later the truck landed and slid," Leamer said. He landed in the First United Bank parking lot in Temple.
"I pulled myself out the back windshield of the Ford," Leamer said. "I was able to run inside the bank. It's crazy because I don't think I could have gotten into any other building on West Adams."
Leamer's truck was completely flipped upside down but it still fires up today.
"Ford Ranger, you can't kill one," Leamer said.
Leamer was supposed to take his son home when the storms hit. Asher's car seat was later found in the debris outside.
"Car seat flew about 30 feet from the truck," Ryan Leamer said.
"Oh yeah," Asher Leamer replied.
"He said he would have just jumped out of the truck anyways and I was like 'Oh, that's also a bad idea,'" Ryan said.
"Yeah, I would have jumped out of the truck," the 6-year-old said while looking up at his father.
Asher Leamer would have done anything to survive just like his dad. Now the two are back home together and feel blessed to have made it through something like this.
"Dad just got lucky," Asher said.
"That's been his go-to all week is 'Dad just got lucky,'" Ryan Leamer said. "I told him 'You know dad's stronger than the tornado.' He's like, 'You just got lucky.' I was like, 'Okay, cool. I don't get to be cool about this. Not even for a minute.'"
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