It was a whirlwind morning for Allison and Brandon Williams when they awoke on Wednesday, February 28. They knew this was the day they would meet their third child, but what transpired leading up to Allison’s delivery was totally unexpected.

In fact, to this day, they realize it was a blur, a story they recount on the Cedarville Stories Podcast.

The couple was anticipating an early-morning cesarean section. However, chaos ensued when a tornado blew down their street, delaying their trip and turning a 15-to-20-minute drive into an hour-and-a-half journey to the Springfield hospital.

In the predawn hours, the couple sought refuge in their basement, praying for the safety of their neighbors and nearby family as the tornado wreaked havoc on their countryside neighborhood. 

Once the storm passed, Allison and Brandon ventured out amidst the chaos to find a route to the hospital, experiencing a roller coaster of emotions at seeing the damaged houses that filled their neighborhood.

These emotions turned to joy later in the day when they welcomed their third daughter, Darcy — or, as her grandfather would call her, “Dot,” short for Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.