Dad, 2 kids from Missouri killed by tornado while visiting Iowa family, officials say
Three members of a Missouri family were killed when a tornado ripped through an Iowa town they were visiting, officials say.
In total, seven people died when an EF-3 tornado came through an area near Des Moines on Saturday, March 5. The tornado had a path of 16.5 miles and reached winds as high as 138 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Six deaths occurred in Madison County, including three from the Bolger family visiting from Blue Springs, Missouri, KMBC reported.
Emergency management officials identified the Madison County victims as Melissa Bazley, 63; Rodney Clark, 64; Cecilia Lloyd, 72; Michael Bolger, 37; Kinlee Bolger, 5; and Owen Bolger, 2.
Michael Bolger’s wife, Kuri, and their third child were injured in the Winterset tornado, according to a GoFundMe. Kuri’s mother, Melissa Bazley, was among the fatal victims.
Earlier in the weekend, Bazley described a hike she went on with her grandkids as “priceless.”
“I will miss our chats and your uplifting spirit,” a friend said on Facebook of Bazley. “You always say the light through everything.”
Kuri Bolger was hospitalized with a leg injury, according to a post on her Facebook page. Her son Brysen was discharged from the hospital, the GoFundMe states.
“The last 12 hours have been some of the most difficult times our community has faced,” Madison County Emergency Management director Diogenes Ayala said in a news briefing Sunday, March 6.
Hundreds of people attended a vigil for the Bolger family at Lucy Franklin Elementary School in Blue Springs on Sunday, KSHB reported.
“Just looking for continued prayers and support. They’ve (Bolger family) got a long road ahead of them,” school principal Cory Laboube said. “We just want to continue to lift them up and be here to support.”
The seventh fatal victim in Saturday’s tornado outbreak died at a campground in Lucas County, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said.
This story was originally published March 7, 2022 at 9:08 AM.