Family Living in Tornado Alley Shows Off 'Fun and Functional' Storm Shelter After They Were Hit by 2012 Storm (Exclusive)

• Sophie Frampton and her family live in what is considered to be "Tornado Alley," a stretch of land often hit by hard tornadoes.

• After being affected by tornadoes numerous times over the years, her parents built a shelter inside their latest home.

• The shelter was created to be "fun and functional" by doubling as a movie theater.

People in the Midwest and Southeast of the United States are highly susceptible to tornado activity, especially those living in what is considered "Tornado Alley" – a fluctuating region that currently stretches from Mississippi to Illinois.

Living in this area means constantly being on high alert when the weather turns ominous. For one family in Eastern Tennessee, near Chattanooga, this reality has led them to create a unique safety feature in their home: a tornado shelter that doubles as a cozy movie theater.

Sophie Frampton took to TikTok to show off her parents’ clever blend of security and practicality; a design that has helped them weather storms safely while also providing a sense of comfort during a stressful, and often scary, experience.

The innovative shelter, however, hasn’t always been a part of Frampton’s family home. In fact, it wasn’t until they lived through multiple tornadoes that the idea of having such a shelter became a priority.

“When I was a kid in 2012, our house was hit by a tornado while we were home," Frampton tells PEOPLE exclusively. "And my grandparents' house had been hit by a tornado the previous year.”

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It was after the traumatic experience of hiding under the stairs with her mother and brothers, finding their home completely unrecognizable after the storm, that her parents decided to rebuild and prioritize safety. “We just knew we wanted to feel safe and put in a storm shelter,” she says.

The practical necessity became more than just a safe place to hide during tornadoes. “My dad just likes to have fun with it,” Frampton reveals. “He was like, ‘Well, if we're gonna be in there for hours…let’s make it fun and functional.’ ”

The result was a fully equipped shelter complete with a bathroom, a generator, and even a plan to escape if needed. But, most notably, the shelter also serves as a family movie theater. “Even when there isn’t a storm, we can go down and enjoy it,” she explains.

With the outbreak of devastating tornadoes throughout March and April this year, the shelter has certainly proven its worth. On March 15, 2025, the family experienced the tense moments of watching a tornado form nearby but were fortunate enough to escape the worst.

“It was way off, like 30, 45 minutes away from us, but we could see it forming over us… It started to form, came down, and then went back up,” she recalls.

Tornado season isn't over yet, though. As of April 3, five people have died in Tennessee as a result of these storms, with another passing in Missouri, according to CNN. Earlier in March, at least 40 deaths were recorded during the cross-county storm system with thousands left without electricity from Georgia to Michigan, as per ABC News. Frampton’s area remained luckily untouched both times.

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Despite the ongoing fear that comes with living in a region prone to severe weather, Frampton’s family has never considered moving elsewhere. “We love the area we live in,” she admits. “We love Tennessee, being in the South… all our families are here.”

Taking into account the frequent tornado threats in their area, the family is dedicated to ensuring safety during stormy weather.  “We are so scared of storms that we use it pretty much every time,” she explains. “If our local weathermen say it’s going to be serious, we’ll all go over there and just stay the night… or just stay the duration of the storm.”

After showcasing her parents’ shelter and its dual purpose on TikTok, some commenters pointed out that not everyone can afford such luxurious safety features in their homes.

In response, Frampton says her intentions behind the video were completely pure. “It wasn’t meant to make anyone feel bad.”

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She also emphasizes that her family's shelter was a product of hard work. “Nothing was handed to my parents. They worked really hard for the life that they have,” she tells PEOPLE. And the shelter’s purpose goes beyond just their own immediate safety.

“We also have it for our friends and family in the community who have been affected by tornadoes,” Frampton adds. “The trauma doesn't go away. You just want to feel safe."

What started as a need to protect themselves from nature’s unpredictable forces has turned into a comforting space where Frampton’s family and friends can face their fears together.

In a tornado survival video, Frampton shared that some of her most cherished memories growing up often came after the tornadoes passed.

"That sounds silly to say to some people, but some of my sweetest memories are after our tornadoes and how much your friends just gather around you, and how the community just comes together every time," she said on TikTok. "It just reminds you what really matters, like all this stuff just does not matter. It's just worthless once a tornado hits us to shreds."

In the video, Frampton urged others living in the south to be "weather aware" and to always have a safety plan in case of emergencies.

Read the original article on People