Alabama Family Dodges Tornado With Visit To Colorado

DENVER (CBS4) - A family from Alabama says they're thankful they were vacationing in Colorado during this week's deadly tornadoes.

The Stoops left their home in Madison, Ala. on Monday.

The tornadoes ripped through six states. Nearly 300 people are dead. Ryan Stoops says it's been devastating watching the images from home. Stoops and her daughter could have been in the tornadoes path if it were not for their trip.

"How lucky is that, what are the odds of that, I don't even want to think what we'd have been doing," Stoops said.

The Stoops' home was spared and Stoops said both her husband and son are okay. Stoops' husband arrived home after the storms hit, calling his wife with news of their neighborhood.

"I could tell from the panic in his voice that something was really wrong, but even with what they're telling me you don't really believe it until you start looking at the pictures of how bad it is."

President Obama toured the damage in Alabama on Friday and he pledged support to all the states affected.