Wisconsin Tornado Leaves Devastation—and One Seriously Tough Cow

Some stories just don't seem real until you see the pictures. A tornado, a farmer, and one absolutely unbreakable cow... this is one of those stories.

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A Cow, a Tornado, and a Miracle on a Wisconsin Farm

Thursday night (5/15), a tornado tore through a family farm in Juneau (about 60 miles northeast of Madison). Bob Schwandt, the farmer, barely escaped with his life, thanks to a small feed room tucked between two silos. He saw it coming. He fought the storm. And when it passed, the farm was nearly unrecognizable.

READ MORE: The 1967 Belvidere Tornado That Shook Northern Illinois

But in the wreckage was a cow, his cow, skewered by a flying board like something out of a twisted rural action movie... still standing. She survived. If that isn't a testament to strength, stubbornness, and sheer bovine willpower, I don't know what is.

Bob's story is one of total devastation, as was shared with wmtv15news.com, but also one of grit. Of survival. Of walking through hell with a 2x4 sticking out of your cow and somehow still standing.

He ran to his family, who had no idea if he'd made it. When he said, "We lost everything," they all broke down.

A Community That Shows Up

And now? The community is rallying around the Schwandts. Rebuilding, helping, showing up. Because even after the storm, even after a miracle cow moment... that's what neighbors do.

READ MORE: 10 Worst Places to Take Shelter from Tornadoes