Tornado Tosses Pet Tortoise, But Weeks Later—Reunited Like Nothing Happened

When Tiffany Emanuel heard a tornado charging toward her home in Kokomo, Mississippi, there wasn’t time to think. She grabbed her kids, jumped in the truck, and took off—leaving behind five dogs, four cats, two goats, pigs, chickens, and two tortoises.

That tornado wasn’t just a near miss. It was one of 18 that tore through Mississippi in mid-March, killing seven people and leaving homes and businesses in pieces.

When Tiffany returned home that night, the house stood strong. So did her animals—except for one. Myrtle, her 8-year-old African spurred tortoise, was gone. His outdoor pen was crushed under a fallen pine tree, the fence blown down, and Myrtle was missing.

Now, some people might say, “It’s just a turtle.” Not Tiffany. Myrtle’s been her buddy since he was six. She’d always loved tortoises, and Myrtle—yes, despite the name, he’s a boy—had a special place in her heart.

For days, Tiffany, her fiancé, and their kids scoured their 52-acre property. Nothing. Weeks passed. Hope faded.

Then, out of nowhere, Tiffany gets stopped in a local store. A woman asks, “Hey, are you missing a tortoise?” She pulls out her phone, shows a picture, and Tiffany blurts out, “Oh my gosh, that’s Myrtle!”

Turns out, Myrtle had been found a mile down the road, mistaken for a lump of muddy clay. A neighbor scooped him up and got him to Central Mississippi Turtle Rescue. Myrtle had a cracked shell and a few bumps, but he was alive.

The rescue posted on Facebook looking for a ride to their center, and sure enough, someone dropped what they were doing to make the drive.

Myrtle wasn’t just found—he was treated like royalty. Pain meds, antibiotics, shell repair—the works.

When Tiffany and her fiancé showed up at the rescue, Myrtle knew exactly who they were. He stretched out of his shell, happy as could be. Tiffany held him, and he didn’t flinch. “He knows me,” she said. “He knows how I hold him.”

Myrtle’s back home now, getting spoiled again. He munches on celery, gets chin scratches (his favorite), and even crawls into Tiffany’s lap like a puppy.

To the world, maybe Myrtle’s just a tortoise. But to Tiffany? He’s family.