A Texas teenager who narrowly survived when his truck was tossed into the air by a tornado has been given a brand new Chevrolet Silverado.
Dramatic footage of 16-year-old Riley Leon’s 2004 Silverado being picked up by the twister, before spinning several times and landing back on its wheels, went viral this week.
Riley said earlier this week it was a “blessing” that he had been able to drive away with minor injuries.
On Saturday, Riley was presented with a top of the line Silverado pick up truck from a dealership in Fort Worth, and his family were presented with a $15,000 check to help with his medical expenses.
The teenager, who is starting a new job next week, suffered severe back pain after the encounter.
During an interview on Good Morning America, Riley described the experience as “like a carnival game, those ones that flipped you over”.
“It was fast. I didn’t feeling nothing because it was like in a blink of an eye,” he said.
The incident, which was widely circulated on social media, was captured by storm chaser Brian Emfinger, who watched it unfold from across the highway.
The tornado engulfed the truck just after it wreaked havoc in a mobile home community just across the highway and destroyed a mobile home and a power line, injuring one.
“I’m thankful to God for giving me another chance in this world,” Riley said.
“He probably left me here because I have something special coming my way.”
The teenager had been returning from a job interview and called his friend telling him:’I got the job! Everything was going good.”
“Out of nowhere the tornado came in and it caught me, he said. “I knew there was going to be bad weather but I never expected the tornado to be at the same moment I was at.
“There was a ditch and it took me there and then it took me out to the street and that’s when I was spinning with the truck.”
