By Allie Ware

JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) -- Maya Grimes, a Jackson State University student, narrowly escaped with her life when a tornado ripped through her hometown of St. Louis on Friday, leaving her with a traumatic experience and a newfound resolve to promote storm safety.

Grimes was just minutes from her home when the tornado struck, and her mother, who was in Jackson, received a terrifying call from her daughter.

"You can only imagine, as a mother, how I was feeling and I didn't know what was taking her," Grimes' mother said.

Grimes described the terrifying moments as her car started spinning in circles.

"I was just like Jesus, Jesus, bracing for impact and I really thought that was my last moment," Grimes said.

She recounted how all the windows of her car shattered, and the driver's side door opened, causing her to be ejected from the vehicle despite wearing a seatbelt.

"I slid down the street 40 yards — down a busy street in St. Louis, and all I could think was to survive," Grimes said.

After the wind subsided, a bloody Grimes stood on the side of the road looking for help when an ambulance happened to pass by.

"I flagged them down and said, 'Can you please help me? Please help me,' and they got me in and said, 'That's your car. You should not have gotten over here. Are you sure someone didn't help you out?" she recalled.

Grimes is now trying to process the event and work through the weather anxiety it has caused her. She is encouraging everyone to have several ways to receive storm warnings and to pay close attention to them.

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