VAN VLECK, Texas -- Tornados and powerful winds pushed through the Greater Houston Area early Tuesday, damaging homes, businesses and vehicles. At least eight people suffered storm-related injuries, according to the National Weather Service.
The tiny town of Van Vleck, in Matagorda County, was among the hardest hit areas. Six people were hurt when an EF-1 tornado touched down, according to the National Weather Service.
One woman was shielding her children as their mobile home flipped upside down.
"She knows the trailer started to move and she grabbed the kids and it started flipping, all she could do was protect the kids," said Anthony Ovesny, her husband.
His wife managed to protect their two kids from any injuries. Her husband credited that to "instinct."
"A mother's instinct, those would kids would have not walked out of there, if not for her," said Ovesny.
She was taken to Memorial Hermann hospital by helicopter and is recovering from spinal surgery.
"Looking at the wreckage and going inside, I don't know how someone survived that," said Ovesny. "Someone was clearly watching over someone."
Harry Hobbes and his girlfriend, Sally Farley, were watching TV when the sirens blasted. The next thing they knew, a tornado had ripped their roof right off.
"I seen a crack of daylight in the ceiling and the roof went," Hobbes said. "Boards were falling. I went to block them and got popped upside the head."
Hobbes went to the hospital with a head injury and cracked wrist, but is happy to be alive.
"Blessed, very blessed," Hobbes said.
Blessed even though he and Farley lost everything.
Many neighbors are in the same boat thanks to the tornado with winds from 86 to 110 mph.
Viewer photos from across Van Vleck showed tree limbs and fence posts blown through a heavily damaged vehicle.
Mother shielded 2 kids <5y/o while home flipped. Mother life flight 2 Hou (precaution 4 spinal injury) #KHOU11 Van Vleck, TX. pic.twitter.com/CDAE5kOQU6
— Josh Marshall (@JoshKHOU) February 14, 2017
The NWS reports two people in that area were also hurt in a storm-related traffic accident.
The Ovesny family has set up a GoFundMe page for the mother, visit here to help.