WAVERLY, Va. -- Hundreds payed their respects to the victims who died during the tornado that devastated the town of Waverly.
On Feb. 24, an EF-1 tornado demolished dozens of homes in Waverly. Ian Lewis, 2, Devine Stringfield, 26, Larry Turner, 50, and Trenicka Stringfield were all thrown from their home. Trenicka, Lewis’ mother, was the only survivor.
Nearly 300 people came together at the Oak Grove Baptist Church in Wakefield to remember Lewis and his uncle, Devine Stringfield during a two-hour joint funeral Saturday morning.
At the emotional service, Trenicka Stringfield fought back tears as she cried, “I remember standing in the storm saying, 'It`s not going to happen.' Then I had to change my mind.”
Larry Turner, 50, Ian Lewis, 2, and Devine Stringfield, 26
A day after the storm, WTVR CBS 6 Photographer Chris Jenkins found a bible open to the story “A Boy Who Fell Asleep” that had survived the rubble. Stringfield read the story aloud and said, “it`s confirmation that my son is OK.”
A candle was lit for the third victim, Larry Turner, who’s funeral was also Saturday at the Valley Apostolic Church in Waverly.
Outside of the Wakefield church, which is about 10 miles from where the tornado hit, family members continued to ask how this tragedy could have happened.
“You can`t explain what happens,” Wilson Clary said. “other than there`s a plan for everything.”
Stringfield’s other two children were at school at the time of the tornado. She said moving forward she has to be strong for them.
Both Lewis and Devine Stringfield will be buried beside each other.
Funeral
