‘Happy that I’m alive:’ Survivor recalls deadly Manitoba tornado hitting Jeep

A survivor of a deadly tornado in Manitoba earlier this month says he might not have lived if a tree hadn't toppled onto his Jeep.

James Blacksmith says he pulled onto a farm near Virden and under a row of pine trees right before the twister hit on August 7, and he says a white truck with a teenage couple inside pulled up beside him.

Shayna Barnesky and Carter Tilbury, both 18, were killed when their truck was swept up and landed a kilometre away.

Blacksmith says the twister eventually tossed the tree off, and the Jeep started tumbling and tumbling with him inside.

But he says he thinks more damage would have been done if the tree hadn't landed on his vehicle.

The 54-year-old from Sioux Valley First Nation spent four days in hospital being treated for a fractured vertebra, as well as scrapes and bruises.