Two six-year-old twin girls died after a tree fell on their home due to an extreme tornado rolling through New York. This horrific tragedy occurred on Sunday, June 22, in the early morning in Clark Mills, Oneida County.
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Tornado Kills Two 6-Year-Old Twins After Tree Falls On House
An EF-1 tornado was responsible for the deaths of these two young girls, per a statement from the National Weather Service of Binghamton. The tornado had peak winds of 105 mph that uprooted trees, which crushed structures. Trees during this windstorm damaged three homes, one of which led to the deaths of the twins.
Kayleigh Bisson’s twin daughters, Emily and Kenni Bisson, were the ones who died, according to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office via Syracuse. It was around 4 AM when the EF-1 tornado ravaged the 1,600 people of Clark Mills.
Jared Bowman, a neighbor, confirmed the mother and her twin daughters recently moved into a rental home on Hoyland Avenue. Just a few months after their move-in, a huge maple tree with twin trunks fell onto the roof. It demolished the roof and second story before it landed on Kayleigh and her girls.
Bowman ran to the crash site to try and help the mother escape through a window. “She was yelling, ‘Get my kids out!’” said the neighbor. “But there was no noise. It felt very eerie and bad.”
Another neighbor named Rick Carollo, who woke up from the storm sounding like a “freight train,” went to help as well. Carollo is a member of the Clark Mills Fire Department, and he received a phone message to help the mother next door.
“I found the mother in the front window,” said Carollo. “I had to climb a tree to get her out.” Unfortunately, the firefighter neighbor couldn’t find a pulse on one of the six-year-old girls. It was even tougher trying to get his bearings through the messy debris.
The organization also confirmed that another person died in another residence. The outlet identified the third victim as Shelly Johnson. She died after a tree fell through her roof and onto her as she slept in her bed.
Honoring The Losses Of The Twin Girls
In response to the devastating losses of these first-graders from Clinton Elementary School, the superintendent, Christopher Clancy, made a statement to the community. “Earlier today, a severe weather emergency in our community resulted in the tragic loss of life, including two of our elementary students,” wrote Clancy.
“Our hearts are with all of the families and loved ones affected by this tragedy.” Clancy also revealed they would be closing the school on Monday due to the storm’s horrific impact.
The girls’ family has since launched a GoFundMe to help honor Emily and Kenni. “These girls were taken too soon from their incredible mother,” it said. “These girls were very popular in their small town for their enthusiasm, laughter and most of all their smiles to everyone in the community.”
The fundraiser description said the twins were involved in soccer, dance, softball, gymnastics, and more. They had “belly laughs that lasted for days,” and they were also amazing artists who loved using paint brushes and chalk.