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By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Taz Wingo, his family and two dogs were enjoying a quiet Wednesday morning in their Fayetteville home when he heard a loud noise swirling outside his front door.

The startled Wingo rushed to see where the noise was coming from.

“It sounded like a huge jet plane flying real low,” the 65-year-old said. “It sounded as if it was going to land in the street.”

The former Mobile, Ala. resident is no stranger to hurricanes or tornadoes, but he was still surprised by what he saw when he looked out the window.

“I saw the trees bending,” said Wingo, occasionally stopping to pick up scattered yard waste. “A tornado came through. We heard it. It snapped the trees off.”

Wingo and his family huddled close until the tornado passed. The tornado, which brought gusty winds and rain, damaged his shingles, windows, and ripped down trees in his yard, but it spared his black Mercedes Benz.

Wingo’s family members including his 7-year-old granddaughter, Morgan, were terrified as the tornado passed through their Bonaventure Estates subdivision.

“I was scared,” the East Fayetteville Elementary School second-grader said. “I was trying to shut the garage door, but it wouldn’t shut. The tornado blew the door open.”

Other trees in the Bonaventure Estates subdivision located off of County Line Road and Bonaventure Way in Fayette County were tossed about like pine straw.

Dozens of residents rushed out of their homes after the storm to survey the damage. Others like neighbor, 34-year-old Keith Moore rushed to lend his back and chainsaw to the Wingos.

Moore said his home was damaged a couple a years ago by a hurricane, so he empathized with the Wingos.

“At least we have a car to drive. It just got out of the shop yesterday,” Wingo said adding, “I wish it would have demolished the Winn Dixie over there. It’s been an eyesore for two years.”

Wingo said he and his wife, Jane, 65, have lived through five hurricanes. But this was the first time their home has been damaged by a tornado or hurricane. Based on a rough estimate, Wingo said his home sustained about $2,000 in damage.

The Wingos planned to visit Jane’s mother in South Carolina for Thanksgiving. The Wingos are not sure if they will make the trip.

But despite their misfortunate and their possible ruined travel plans, Jane, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, chose to focus on her blessings.

“I’m just thankful that everybody is OK,” Mrs. Wingo said. “This is minor. Just clean up stuff.”

But the 65-year-old former Mobile,

“It sounded like a huge jet plane