Lincoln Ice Cream Shop Owners Grateful To Be Alive

On Monday afternoon the National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-2 tornado touched down Sunday evening, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

As cleanup continues in southwest Lincoln, the operators of a a family run ice cream shop that was destroyed are thankful to be alive.

"It's sad, all the history here," Chris Kliment of C&L Dairy Sweet told 6 News. C&L Dairy Sweet celebrated its 40th anniversary at the corner of Van Dorn and Cottington last month.

"It's a tradition thing. We're the only place in town that has lemon ice cream," Tiffany Blackwell says. "It was so fast. So fast," Kliment said.

"My mom was like I have a cheeseburger for this guy. I said, 'Forget the cheeseburger. We've got to go,'" Blackwell told 6 News.

She rushed her mother and three others into a nearby cellar. Seconds later they peered out of the cellar door to see a nearby garage smashed and the family business demolished.

"I'm just glad we all made it down and are safe," Blackwell says. As the family moves into a cleanup mode and decides what to do next, everyone from the cellar considered what could have happened.

"I had a little come-apart last night. Rationalization. I call it a come-apart when I just sit down and cry," Kliment said.

Kliment also was grateful for the quick thinking of her daughter Tiffany, the one who insisted she head to the cellar. "Thank you for saving my life."

(Photo: 6 News)


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