FORT PIERCE, Fla (CBS12) -- A Fort Pierce couple credits a complete stranger for saving their lives during last week's deadly tornado.
An emotional embrace brought tears of joy for Brandi Clarke as she met Michelle Westfield, the mystery woman she claims went above and beyond to alert her family about the dangerous twister approaching their street last Wednesday in the Lakewood Park area.
"She saved our lives. No matter how much she won't accept it you really did," Brandi Clarke said, expressing her gratitude.
"I'm just an old lady who got really, really scared," Michelle responded modestly.
Before Michelle Westfield's warning, Brandi and her husband, Billy, were outside recording the storm's downpours. Water crept closer and closer to their front door along Winter Garden Parkway.
"Then all of a sudden, she [Westfield] reversed her car. Her tires were squealing, she was taking off backwards," Brandi recounted. "I run into the house. I hear her scream, 'Get in your house.' And I go, 'Oh my God, this is bad.' No sooner, he shuts the door behind me. We're still standing in the middle of the living room, and my house just started shaking. It was the craziest 15 seconds of my life. The loudest rumble, my whole world froze."
Billy Clarke echoed his wife's sentiments, saying, "I'm truly blessed. I mean right there, all in front of us."
The couple pointed to the path of destruction caused by the tornado. Nearby, the Spanish Lakes community saw dozens of homes leveled, resulting in some deaths.
The Clarkes took to social media over the weekend to find the unidentified woman who told them to seek shelter. The replies helped make this special meeting possible.
"It was right there, and I was like, 'I am driving into a tornado,'" Michelle recalled. "I'm just a woman who was terrified, and I'm so glad that my terror helped somebody. I was supposed to be driving in that moment, to get you guys inside."
A nightmare led to what may be a lifelong friendship. "And we're going to barbecue cornhole, right here in this driveway," Brandi said with a laugh. "Bring your neighbors together."