Photographer Saves Man Trapped in Illinois Tornado Rubble

When photographer Scott Lasker heard screams while filming tornado damage in Streator, Illinois, he didn't hesitate to drop his camera and become part of the story.

The freelance photographer was documenting the aftermath of an EF-3 tornado when a woman's desperate cries led him to her collapsed home. Her husband, 65-year-old Gary Rymek, was pinned beneath heavy debris with a broken leg.

"I think I've got a broken leg," Rymek told Lasker in harrowing footage captured before the rescue. Lasker immediately handed his camera to the woman and began clearing debris with his bare hands.

"I started rolling on this tornado," Lasker explained to FOX32 News. "As I was doing that, a woman was screaming. I was able to help remove a big door."

Police arrived shortly after and assisted with the final rescue. Emergency crews transported Rymek to the hospital, where doctors confirmed he suffered several broken bones but is expected to make a full recovery.

For Rymek, the moments before rescue were terrifying. "The door flew out of my hand, and then everything just started falling apart," he told reporters. "I'm just very thankful I'm alive."

The tornado that struck Streator packed winds of 136 miles per hour, strong enough to overturn trains and uproot trees. At least three tornadoes touched down across Indiana and Illinois that Thursday, leaving 500,000 people without power.

Why This Inspires

Lasker has spent 20 years documenting storms and disasters, but this moment stands apart. His instinct to help rather than simply record reflects the best of humanity during our worst moments.

"It was very dramatic," Lasker said. "I'm just glad I was there to help." His words are simple, but they capture something powerful: sometimes being in the right place at the right time means choosing action over observation.

In a career filled with dramatic images, Lasker created his most important one by putting down the camera.