"Dear Lord, please make it stop!" Lauren Patterson prayed as she, her boyfriend, Dakota Hudson, and his dad, Tim, huddled together in Tim's bathroom. The tornado was passing directly over the Paris, Texas, home, and they could hear creaking and snapping. Suddenly, the entire house was lifted off the slab, then dropped back to the ground. Then everything went silent.
"It's over," Dakota said, and as the three left the house they emerged into a wide swatch of destruction including the new house Dakota was helping his dad build next door for his retirement.
After making sure all their neighbors were okay, the three returned to start their cleanup.
"I was finally going to be eligible for insurance next week," Tim sighed heavily, staring at his demolished dream house.
"It's like a broom swept everything away," Lauren, a 25-year-old nurse assistant, said, and a sudden chill ran down Dakota's spine.
A few weeks back, Dakota had purchased a beautiful engagement ring-he was waiting for just the right time to propose to Lauren. In the meantime, he'd stowed the ring in a closet in his dad's new house-the one that now lay strewn across the neighborhood!
"I have some bad news," he told Lauren, his eyes brimming with tears.
"What could possibly be worse?" she asked, and when Dakota told her about the lost engagement ring, she hugged him. "I don't care about a ring. I care about you. We're alive and safe."
Needle in a haystack
The next day, the trio, friends and relatives began clearing the debris. "I found this," Lauren's cousin, Paige, held up the top of a ring box. Hoping the ring might be nearby, the group scoured the area. But no luck.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 20, 2023 من Woman's World.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 20, 2023 من Woman's World.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Let spooky 'leftovers' help others!
From unopened candy to jack-o'-lanterns, we have a few feel-great ways to give Halloween goodies a second life!
Creamy & so dreamy
Our easy no-bake filling makes this beauty a breeze to whip up
"Help! How do I heal a family rift?"
With one in three people experiencing family estrangement, we asked experts how to address this sense of loss and consider reconciliation
Look gorgeous for $15 or less!
Not only are these drugstore makeup products affordable, they've also gone viral on social media recently—and for good reason. Learn why they're worth adding to your cart!
'Sugar fat' disappears
Baker Jayne Jones' treats can help lower blood sugar and shrink belly fat 650% faster
"Magnesium helped me sleep!"
After struggling for almost a decade with debilitating insomnia, Kendra Jarratt finally discovered an inexpensive natural remedy that has her sleeping more soundly than she has in years
Soothe sciatica pain naturally
Excess pressure on the sciatic nerve can cause a tingling, burning or shooting sensation that radiates from the lower back through the buttock or leg. And when you're in the middle of a sciatica flare-up, your priority is getting relief ASAP. To speed healing, just...
Itchy scalp? 3 ways to get rid of dandruff
Dandruff is a sign of seborrheic dermatitis, says dermatologist Heather Woolery-Lloyd, M.D. \"This causes scales, flakes, itching and redness on the scalp,\" she says. It may be a reaction to a type of yeast found on the skin, adds dermatologist Rosanne Paul, D.O. Here's how to treat it
She helps fill the bellies & hearts of military families!
Army wife Monica Bassett's heart hurt when she saw a social media post from a military family who couldn't afford enough food. So she decided to start a pantry to make sure the loved ones of our heroes never go hungry!
"Every day is an opportunity to grow!"
At just 11 years old, Candace Cameron Bure won our hearts as D.J. Tanner on Full House, and for the past 37 years, she's continued to delight millions with her feel-good movies and unflappable faith. But her journey hasn't always been easy. Here, Candace opens up about her battle with depression and how she finds hope
