'We lost everything -- but not what mattered most': Tornado survivor reflects on journey of healing

When a devastating tornado turned her world upside down, Megan Vanhook—a dedicated mother and survivor—found herself facing not only the loss of her home, but the emotional weight that followed.

With the help of her community and the compassionate care of AdventHealth, Vanhook began a journey of healing and rediscovery, which she describes in her own words below:

"I became a mom at a young age, just 20 years old, and had to grow up fast. I now have a 16-year-old daughter, a 2-year-old and I’m also a bonus mom to a little girl who’s almost 9. Like many moms, I put myself aside for years, focusing on raising my children and working full-time. It wasn’t until recently that I started to rediscover who I really am.

Then the tornado hit.

It was one of the most terrifying moments of my life. The sound was like a freight train barreling through our world. When it passed, I stepped outside and saw the kennel where I kept our dog, Emmy—it looked like it had been crushed and twisted. I prayed, “God, just let them be OK.” My brother, a state trooper, helped get us out safely. Later that night, when he returned to check on the house, there was Emmy—sitting in the driveway, completely unharmed. Our cat had taken shelter in a neighbor’s house through a broken window. Somehow, they both made it.

We lost everything that was replaceable—but not everything. We’re alive. Our kids are healthy. And that’s what matters.

The outpouring of support from the community was overwhelming. People donated furniture, helped clean and store what little we could salvage and even offered services at reduced prices. That kind of kindness helped us begin to rebuild—not just our home but our sense of normalcy.

But emotionally, I was carrying something heavy—something I didn’t know how to set down. That’s when I turned to therapy through AdventHealth’s Behavioral Health team. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew I needed help processing everything. That’s when I met Stacey.

Stacey has been a lifeline. She helped me unpack the trauma, the fear and the grief in a way that felt safe and manageable. She didn’t just listen—she helped me understand what I was feeling and why. She gave me tools to cope, to breathe and to move forward. One of the most powerful things she taught me was the concept of the 'circle of control.' It’s about focusing on what’s within your power and letting go of what isn’t. That mindset has helped me sort through the chaos and find peace in the middle of it. I even remind my dad of it when he gets overwhelmed: 'Circle of control, Dad.'

I often say it feels like I picked up something fragile, and if I don’t set it down the right way, it’ll break. Therapy helped me learn how to set it down gently, piece by piece. It helped me realize that healing isn’t about forgetting what happened—it’s about learning how to carry it differently.

There’s a blessing inside every struggle. You just have to look for it. And when you do, you realize that even in the darkest moments, there’s light. I’m still healing, but I’m stronger now. And I’m grateful—for my family, for my community, for Stacey and for the care that helped me find my way forward."