Man Injured In Tornado Credits Late Wife With Helping Him Get Out Alive

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Wednesday marked day three of the clean up on Kent Island following the most powerful tornado to hit Maryland in more than a decade.

It's going to take at least week, more likely months, for life to return to normal for some people living there.

The total damage is still being assessed, but power has been restored to all habitable structures and clean up is moving at a fast pace.

WJZ's Mike Hellgren spoke with a lot of people who are still recovering, including Louis Solano, who was emotional when talking about what he has been through.

Solano was back at his collapsed home Wednesday, collecting what little is left.

He was the only person injured when a powerful tornado struck Kent Island Monday.

"I want to thank the news teams, especially your team, for helping the other day, keeping me confident that there's still a world out there with kindness," Solano said. [Reporter: You've gotten a lot of kindness, right?] "Yes sir."

He still can't believe he survived.

"I had five seconds to get out, and my feet came out first, and I hit the grass there," he said.

[Reporter: Oh my gosh, you came out right here, and you could probably see the flashing lightning.] "Yes, it was all around me, and in the car, and I think it hit the house once too, but I had five seconds to get out, and somebody was guiding me. I think it was Betty. She's my wife. She passed away six months ago. I remember saying to her, 'I love you Betty, honey,' and she said, 'I love you too Lou.' And I knew she was guiding me."

He knelt down after he got outside of his house, and neighbors came and put blankets around him.

So many WJZ viewers have been touched by his miraculous story, and Solano wants them to know he'll be okay.

[Reporter: What do you think about all the kindness that you've gotten here in the neighborhood since they found out about your story, I mean people who didn't even know you.] "Why couldn't this happen to the rest of the world," he said. "If people were kinder to one other we wouldn't have the trouble."

Click here for the real GoFundMe page set up for Solano.

The Kent Island United Methodist Church is still collecting donations as well.

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