It happened as strong storms moved across the Chicago area Thursday night. Communities began the cleanup process Friday.
Dramatic video recorded during the storm shows part of the ordeal. In the footage, Gary Rymek can be heard saying, "I got her out," before adding, "But I can't get out."
The tornado bore down on the couple's home on 12th Street, forcing the couple to take shelter in a closet. Within moments, the structure began to fail.
"The door flew out of my hand, and then everything just started falling apart," Gary Rymek said.
Roxanne Rymek described the force of the collapse: "I felt through my back like I was being pushed really hard down to the floor, but what was happening is the roof fell on us."
The couple exchanged what they feared might be final words. "All I remember is my wife telling me, you know, I love you, and I told her I love you, too," Gary said.
When the storm passed, both were trapped beneath the wreckage. A nail had punctured Gary's arm, and his ankle was crushed. He also feared another danger.
"The gas was coming out pretty bad, and I know just a little spark, it would have done it," he said.
Despite his injuries, Gary used his good arm to free his wife. Roxanne escaped the debris, but her husband remained stuck underneath the collapsed home.
Roxanne recalled the moment as she tried to help him. "There was so much debris on top of him. Part of it was the roof because I remember seeing our shingles there," she said, adding that she was unable to move the wreckage on her own.
Nearby, freelance journalist Scott Lasker was recording video when he heard Roxanne calling for help.
"And I ran over there immediately, and she said, 'Can you please help me? My husband is trapped underneath our house that collapsed,'" Lasker said.
Video captures the chaotic scene as Lasker approached and spoke with Gary, who told him, "I think I got a broken leg."
Lasker began helping to remove debris. "There were shelving units and doors, and it looks Iike they were crushing his leg, so I was able to get it off of half of his body to give him a little bit of comfort," he said.
First responders soon arrived and freed Gary from the debris.
Both Gary and Roxanne Rymek were taken to a hospital. Though their home was destroyed, they expressed gratitude for surviving.
"I'm just very thankful I'm alive, that we are," Gary said.
Roxanne suffered lacerations across her body, while Gary is expected to need surgery on his leg. The couple has also begun the process of determining where they will live next.