'Real-Life Hero': Man Dies During Tornado After Using Body to Shield Wife
Many families have been left to pick up the pieces of their homes and mourn the loss of family members after a deadly tornado tore through Madison County, Iowa, on Saturday.
According to People, the twister reached speeds of 136 to 165 miles per hour and ended up claiming six lives.
The Des Moines Register reported it was the deadliest tornado in the state since 2008, when eight people were killed in New Hartford and Parkersburg.
One of the lives lost belonged to a man who is now being called a hero for the selflessness and courage he showed during the last moments of his life.
Rodney Clark and his wife, Judy, had been married for 20 years. They loved dancing and riding horses together, and they clearly cared very deeply for one another.
When the tornado approached their home on Saturday, they got into a tub and Clark, 64, shielded his wife with his body.
The twister picked them up and threw them 100 feet, leaving them in a pile of rubble and leveling their home.
Judy survived. Rodney did not.
The family, which has organized a GoFundMe for Judy, said this courageous behavior was characteristic of her husband.
“He laid on top of her and like held her close and pretty much saved her life,” grandson Jase Brumfild told KCCI-TV. “I just knew that, that that was him. Like, that was something that he would definitely do.”
“They were inseparable,” Clark’s son-in-law, Rhys Pate, added. “So I think, I think she is just having a hard time processing how she was the ‘lucky one.'”
The fundraiser, started by Jacob Burriola, has raised more than $16,000 for the hero’s widow.
“In last nights tornado, my daughters grandpa tragically lost his life,” the page reads. “When the tornado came through Winterset, it came right at their house.
“Rod Clark put his wife in their tub, and threw himself on top of her, sacrificing his life to save hers. HE IS A REAL LIFE HERO!
“I’m starting this fund so his wife Judy can put this to use to help their family however she sees fit in this horrible time. Please take some time and give to this family and show your support for this hero!”
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