Duke homeowner reacts to News 9's Storm Tracker video showing tornado over his home

Several homes and buildings in Duke were directly hit by a tornado on Thursday. One homeowner sought shelter in his shower during the storm.

Luke Lucas watched News 9 storm spotter video of the tornado hitting his house for the first time Friday.

“Phew! I’m glad I’m still alive,” said Lucas.

Lucas believes that his safety lies in his solidly built stone house.

“Windows started flying out,” Lucas said. “I went to my well-built shower, which is inside and has no walls, and curled up there.”

Lucas said he waited and waited for the storm to pass.

“It was on me for a long time,” Lucas said. “I wondered why it was there for so long. It had to keep going.”

The wind blew dirt and debris into his house, messing up the furniture and sending Lucas into a panic.

“I'm telling you, my heart stopped until about one in the morning,” Lucas said. “I couldn't sleep, it was pounding.”

About three miles from Lucas' house, another house in Duke was down to just the foundation. Jackson County officials assessed the damage the day after the storm. “We've been very lucky this season to avoid most of the bad stuff,” said Rhett Johnson, Jackson County's 3rd District commissioner. “But yesterday was pretty bad.”

Commissioner Johnson said there were no injuries or deaths in the county, only damage to buildings. “All in all,” Johnson said, “I think we came through it pretty well.”

Lucas says he's “just happy to be here,” Lucas said. “I don't have a scratch, I'm fine.”

Lucas said he doesn't have home insurance, but he's expecting FEMA to arrive and hopes he can get some help that way.

Related coverage: Severe storms leave visible damage in Jackson County