Tyson Peirce built his Viking House in the woods near his home in Hawkesbury, Ont., To withstand almost anything, but he did not know how soon it would be put to the test.
On the afternoon of May 21, 21-year-old Peirce, an avid outdoor enthusiast who posted bushcraft videos of his wildlife exploits on YouTube, worked on the structure with his younger brother, Cam Deslorie, 12, and Kam’s friend Miguel Laroque. , 11.
The boys, who had not seen the hut before that day, were helping Peirce collect stones to build a chimney when he received a signal of a severe thunderstorm on his phone. When the sky darkened and panic set in, Peirce recorded a terrifying video of what happened next.
Hawkesbury, Ont., The trio survives a severe thunderstorm in a wooden shelter
Warning: Video content can be confusing for some viewers. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Tyson Peirce was outside working on a wooden shelter with his brother, Cam Desloriere, 12, and Cam Miguel’s friend, Larock, 11, when a severe thunderstorm struck on May 21.
“I think it’s a tornado,” Peirce told the boys in French. One of the boys says he’s leaving. “We can’t, it’s late!” Pierce shouts, ordering the boys to enter the unfinished shelter.
Peers continues to record as the trees collapse outside the hut. “Tornado! Stay low! Stay low!” he shouts as the boys shout in terror.
“Please, Lord, please, please!” they shout at a mixture of French and English when more trees fall. “Stay! Stay! Stay!” Peers continue to order the boys.
“The cabin saved us”
After about two terrifying minutes, the storm passed and Peirce finally showed up to inspect the devastation. Trees had fallen everywhere, including two that fell directly on the shelter.
Leaving their bikes behind, Peirce and the boys spent the next 45 minutes riding through fallen trees near their home, where France Packett was waiting in the driveway for her sons. As the cellular service was interrupted by the storm, Peirce could not call to let her know they were fine.
“The cabin saved us,” Peirce told Package in French as she sobbed with relief.
From left to right Peirce, Miguel LaRoque, Cam Deslorie and France Packet. (Denis Babin / Radio Canada)
The right decision
“We wanted to leave and run away, but it was too late. He was right above us, “Peirce later told Dennis Babin of Radio-Canada.
“It was the decision I made and it turned out to be the best decision because we were going to die.”
As they huddled in the shelter, Peirce held the boys until the storm finally passed.
I don’t believe in God, but I did at the time. “Tyson Pierce.”
“We prayed for God and we were scared and we started crying a little bit,” LaRoque said. “It was a really good decision to stay at the shelter.”
Peirce said he was scared too.
“It was panic,” he said. “I don’t believe in God, but I did at the time. We were very lucky.”
Packett said that as much as she was terrified of her sons’ safety, she was “200 percent” confident that Peirce would make the right decisions.
“It feels awful, but I knew in my heart that my eldest would take care of his younger brother and friend with his forest experience and quick thinking,” she said.
“I missed everything, as you can see in the video. I was just happy that they came back alive and well.”
As the trees collapsed around the shelter, Peirce held the boys to keep them from running outside. “It was the decision I made and it turned out to be the best decision because we were going to die,” Pierce said. (Denis Babin / Radio Canada)
Peirce’s hut is made of branches and sticks, which he cut down from fallen trees. The roof is made of sod, sunken floor and is open to the elements at both ends.
Given how well the simple wooden structure withstands all that nature has thrown at it that day, Packett said he encourages his son to turn his passion for construction into a career.
“Go to construction, it’s time!” She said. “You have your proof right there.”
The storm was deadly
The powerful storm that flooded Ontario and Quebec caused catastrophic damage, knocked down thousands of trees and wiped out a record number of customers, some of whom are still without electricity.
The storm also killed at least 10 people, mostly from falling trees and branches.
Researchers from the Western University’s Northern Tornadoes project say an intense eruption with winds of 190 km / h hit southern Ottawa on Saturday, not a tornado. They have not yet determined whether the tornado struck east of the capital, including Hawkesbury, but Pierce said he was sure it was.
“It was not a thunderstorm. It was a damn tornado, “he said.
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