A family of faith survives Alabama storms

Tornado damage near Huntsville

A week ago, I was nearing the end of my shift as the day assignment editor when a phone call came in out of the blue. A woman on the other end of the line said she was returning a reporter's call but didn't know the name. My three reporters were already busy or out of the office on assignments so I stuck with the call.

And so began a lengthy interview that led to a spot news story about a couple of Portland natives who'd moved to Alabama two years ago after the husband was laid off and how they and their six children had survived the killer tornadoes that had devastated so much of the Deep South.

When I left work that Saturday, the woman, Sharon Canaday, had promised to try to email a photo or two so a colleague, the night editor, could add one to the story I posted on OregonLive. She never did. And when I returned to work early Tuesday, I discovered the reason why: She'd broken her ankle Saturday night and had to go to the E.R.

The Canaday family

I did a followup story and this time there were plenty of photos. With the help of a photo editor, I uploaded them into a gallery of 11 photos -- a first for me -- and wrote a story that was more compelling than the first. I share it here because it's got a Mother's Day angle. Plus, today is the Sabbath for the Canaday family, which belongs to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

It's a remarkable tale of resiliency, with strong elements of luck, faith and support from their fellow church members. Hope it makes you feel as good reading it as it did me reporting and writing it.

"Improbable story of survival in Alabama fuels faith of a former Portland family"

Photos: Courtesy of the Canaday family