Tornado Lifts Florida Woman's Home Off Its Foundation: 'We Were Weightless'

A Florida woman experienced something straight out of "The Wizard of Oz” when a huge tornado blew through her home, sending it right off its foundation.

And that’s when things got weird, says Panama City resident Erika Van Sweringen.

“We were weightless. It was the eeriest feeling. It felt like we were in the air forever,” Van Sweringen said.

“It was the most insane thing ever, and I’ve got stuff floating around me. I know it probably wasn’t that long, but it felt like an eternity. It just rocked us,” the homeowner continued.

After the storm passed, Van Sweringen took stock of the damage. The entire house had moved about six feet and is now uninhabitable.

Even though she doesn’t know where she’s going to live, she’s still finding humor in the situation. 

“I was wearing the black and white tights that morning, so I put them underneath the house and I painted a pair of boots pink with sparkles on them, and I put a sign out front saying ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore,’” Van Swerigen said. 

She is working with the American Red Cross to help her find temporary housing. 

There were no reported injuries from the Panama City tornado. 

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