Families Remember Victims And Survivors Of May 20th Tornado

Friday, marks three years since an EF-5 tornado hit the south side of the metro. The storm killed 24 people, including seven children at Plaza Towers Elementary. But Plaza Towers isn't the only school that lost children on May 20.

Karrina Vargyas was home from school. She and her little sister Sydnee were home with their mom Laurinda and their grandma. When the twister hit, Karrina and Sydnee didn't make it.

And although there were no interviews with the Vargyas family, there were balloons released in honor of Karrina and Sydnee Friday.

Elizabeth Pikozsky was also there. “It was more than a cloud, it was horrible.”

Elizabeth said she probably should have died that day. “I could see the walls coming down and the ceiling coming off and debris. And I could hear this, I knew it was there. I knew it was there,” she continued.

Pikozsky and her boyfriend Toby and their dog Ginger lived two blocks from Plaza Towers Elementary where seven children died.

“We were actually picked up and thrown across the house, screaming for my life,” said Pikozsky.

Elizabeth rode out the tornado clutching Ginger, and talking to Toby on her cellphone.

“I just couldn’t believe we were alive. I couldn’t believe it.”