Elsewhere in the city, roofs were torn off and skyscraper windows blown out

Miranda managed to coral a group of passersby to help her into a taxi

Friday's gale force winds were threatening to blow her off her feet

This was the heart-warming moment that NBC Chicago anchor Byron Miranda helped an elderly woman from being blown away by the near-hurricane winds that tore through the city on Friday.

The video opens with the woman clinging desperately to the corner of a building, as the violent winds — some of which reached as high as 72mph,CNN reported — threaten to lift her right off her feet.

'Do you want me to help you across the street?' asks Miranda, from off camera. The woman looks away for a moment just as another gust whips around the corner and sends her reeling, slamming her into a stone pillar.

Desperate: This woman was spotted by NBC Chicago anchor Byron Miranda and his cameraman clinging to a wall as near-hurricane-level winds tore through Chicago on Friday

Swept away: At one point a gust pushes the woman off her feet, sending her flying into the pillar behind her

Gust: Miranda, left, tries to help but is caught by a gust himself, and overshoots the woman, who is clinging to the pillar just to stay upright

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Miranda himself is taken off-guard — as he runs forward and reaches out to steady the woman, the gust blows him further down the sidewalk. 'Woah!' he exclaims as he returns to the woman, who is now clinging to the pillar.

'Where are you going, right there?' he asks. 'Let's walk.'

She takes his arm as they attempt to cross the pavement, but the dangerous winds have her spooked. She turns to go back to the building, saying 'I don't think I can do it. I think I need a cab. Oh my god!'

Miranda hails down a cab quickly as the woman staggers under the elements' continual onslaught, but then the battle is on to get the beleaguered woman safely into the vehicle.

Help: Miranda forgets about his duties and offers to help the beleaguered woman across the street

Fearful: At first, the woman is not sure that she can make it, so Miranda flags down a taxi to help her — but the hapless pair still have to struggle to the cab

Bystander: Struggling to stop the woman from being pulled away by the gusts, Miranda quickly asks a passerby for help

Miranda shouts to someone off-camera — possibly the cab driver — to 'help her over... come outside,' then grabs a passerby to help guide the frightened woman across the pavement.

The two men guide the woman — who still looks like she could be lifted away at any moment — over to the cab as the driver gets out to help, Miranda barking orders to keep his impromptu team in line.

But even with the driver helping out, the struggle continues: the wind is so strong he can't keep the door open, so another member of the public, wearing just a red T-shirt, runs over to help.

Success! It takes two people to hold the door, and Miranda and the first passerby to maneuver the woman inside as the gale-force winds continue to whip around their bodies, but finally she is safely in the cab.

Miranda pats the driver on the back, thanks his team, and is finally back to work.

The video garndered 117,000 shares and nearly 10 million views on Facebook, NBC reported.

The near-hurricane force winds, with gusts as high as 72mph, swept in from Lake Michigan on Friday, ripping off roofs, tearing up trees and even knocking down a gas station's canopy, CNN reported.

Gizmodo reported that winds were so severe around Wacker Drive that windows were blown out of skyscrapers, causing buildings and roads to be evacuated.

Guided: With two men holding her up, the woman is now steady enough to make it to the vehicle - but the wind is so strong that the driver has trouble keeping the door open

Teamwork: A second passerby volunteers to help the driver hold the door while Miranda and the other man steady their charge