Mom visiting zoo with 4 kids saw sky dramatically changing to 'big black cloud'—her split-second decision saved kids from tornado

A mother's heart always looks out for her children. She is always hoping to protect and look after their best interest. A mom named Ashleigh Schroeder had taken two of her kids and their friends between the ages of 9 and 12 to the Saint Louis Zoo for a fun trip when she sensed danger, KSDK reported. The mom was driving when she recalled that the weather was getting worse. She was unaware how serious it would turn out to be but began looking out for her kids’ safety. When she saw the sky suddenly turn dark and big clouds forming, she knew she had to act fast. A split-second decision saved them all from a ruthless tornado. 

"We have been members of the zoo since our kids were babies. It's kind of our happy place," Schroeder said. Having dealt with thunderstorms before, the mom thought it wouldn’t be as worrisome or dangerous and went ahead with their trip. Soon, the sky dramatically began to darken. Once she saw big clouds forming, she knew this was more than just a thunderstorm. Though there was no rain at the time, Schroeder’s instincts kicked in and she decided to check her phone as a precautionary measure. When she received the news, she immediately started planning. 

Since the kids and mom were already at the zoo, she had to figure out a way to keep them safe where they were. At the same time, she had her kids' friends along and was concerned about them too. "Not only did I have my kids, but extras,” she remarked. "I knew the monkey house had a basement," she said, trying to figure out something. They headed to the monkey house, where other zoo-goers started receiving caveats about a tornado. "We all went down in the basement and there were a handful of other people down there," she said. Schroeder remained in the basement with the four kids for over 30 minutes, hoping things would get better.

With other kids and people also taking shelter there, it was easier to keep the kids from worrying. The woman kicked into an ultimate mom mode and clung to the kids, ensuring they were not afraid or distressed while waiting. "When the kids asked what it was, I told them it was probably just the hand dryer in the men's restroom," she recalled. "I was trying so hard to keep them calm and not scared to death because I was already scared to death,” she added. Finally, after the wait, when the staff ventured out for a check, Schroeder, too, made her way up and was baffled at what she saw.

"I was just dumbfounded. I cried because the zoo is our happy place, so to see that kind of destruction was shocking. Every single path was blocked by massive debris and trees down,” she remarked. The mom was urged to go back inside so the staff could account for the animals. A little while later, the citizens were allowed to leave the basement and return to their homes. The kids were all safe and sound because of the mom’s instinct to take shelter in the monkey house. Had it not been for her vigilance and astuteness, it would have been a devastating and unthinkable experience.