It's hard to believe it's been 15 years
Apr. 26th, 2006 02:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sestree15 years ago this evening I woke up in an area I didn't recognize surrounded by stuff that made no sense and in mortal terror because I couldn't see my son, I couldn't hear very well, and things just were confused. It seemed to take forever to figure out what had happened ....
April 26, 1991 tornadoes tore through Kansas.
Most people remember hearing about the deadly F-5 tornado that hit Andover KS and destroyed the Golden Spur Mobile Home Park. Our local KANG unit helped with cleanup there. I was there months afterwards and I didn't recognize most of the town.
This was the one that went through Wichita and hit McConnell AFB. Debris from McConnell AFB dispensary was found as far north as Topeka (big storm)
Unfortunately, there aren't any pictures that I know of of the one that went through Cowley County. It was technically classed as an F-4 by the people who flew over. That's because they couldn't find remants of some of the houses which is what characterizes an F-5. Anyway, our civil defense in KS classed it as an F-5 as well.
This is all that was left of 3 houses, outbuildings, and a 2 car garage (which probably explains the camaro doesn't it? My son and I were about 15 - 20 feet beyond that mess off to the east where thankfully there was very very little debris. Oh see the woodpile in the back of the garage? My shoes and socks were found intermingled with the wood pieces. I know I had them on ....
Anyway, yes this is probably not real interesting and a bit long but it is good therapy (and behind an LJ cut because I love you all). It's also a reminder to me of what luckily DID come out of that mess ok which were my neighbors (who weren't home), my son Robert and myself (who were unfortunately home at the time - no basement) and my sanity which was in question there for a bit. It's a real bitch when you miscalculate isn't it? I thought we would be just fine --- I thought wrong. Luckily I wasn't as wrong as the people who were killed by this. We did lose one person in Cowley County that day. She stayed home too.
These were my darling companions - Rocket (greyhound) Pooch (doberman) Lucky (lab/shepherd cross) oh and me before my life turned upside down. Lucky survived. The others didn't. It still brings tears to my eyes to remember that day - tears of gratitude for our lives and tears of pain for the lives lost.
April 26, 1991 tornadoes tore through Kansas.
Most people remember hearing about the deadly F-5 tornado that hit Andover KS and destroyed the Golden Spur Mobile Home Park. Our local KANG unit helped with cleanup there. I was there months afterwards and I didn't recognize most of the town.
This was the one that went through Wichita and hit McConnell AFB. Debris from McConnell AFB dispensary was found as far north as Topeka (big storm)
Unfortunately, there aren't any pictures that I know of of the one that went through Cowley County. It was technically classed as an F-4 by the people who flew over. That's because they couldn't find remants of some of the houses which is what characterizes an F-5. Anyway, our civil defense in KS classed it as an F-5 as well.
This is all that was left of 3 houses, outbuildings, and a 2 car garage (which probably explains the camaro doesn't it? My son and I were about 15 - 20 feet beyond that mess off to the east where thankfully there was very very little debris. Oh see the woodpile in the back of the garage? My shoes and socks were found intermingled with the wood pieces. I know I had them on ....
Anyway, yes this is probably not real interesting and a bit long but it is good therapy (and behind an LJ cut because I love you all). It's also a reminder to me of what luckily DID come out of that mess ok which were my neighbors (who weren't home), my son Robert and myself (who were unfortunately home at the time - no basement) and my sanity which was in question there for a bit. It's a real bitch when you miscalculate isn't it? I thought we would be just fine --- I thought wrong. Luckily I wasn't as wrong as the people who were killed by this. We did lose one person in Cowley County that day. She stayed home too.
These were my darling companions - Rocket (greyhound) Pooch (doberman) Lucky (lab/shepherd cross) oh and me before my life turned upside down. Lucky survived. The others didn't. It still brings tears to my eyes to remember that day - tears of gratitude for our lives and tears of pain for the lives lost.
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 07:01 pm (UTC)I grew up in IL. I'm entirely too familiar with the damage that can be caused by tornadoes.
*gives new friend's hand a squeeze*
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 07:06 pm (UTC)Yes Illinois gets hammered as well. It's just so shocking even today because I grew up around them and this one snuck up on me. We had less than 2 minutes to grab pillows and blankets and hit the bathtub (which incidentally wasn't found either along with the walls of my house and some other odd stuff).
Just melancholy today - and remembering - and very grateful that Maryland doesn't have these very often.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 07:27 pm (UTC)That's the thing with tornadoes, they just "fall out of the sky" so to speak. If I had a dollar for every time we had to hunker down in the basement or do tornado drills in school...
I'm glad we don't get bad stroms around here too. I mean, once in a while, sure, but generally, the storms here aren't anything compared to the ones in the midwest.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 10:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 07:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 07:09 pm (UTC)I don't take life for granted quite like I did before I will say that ! It was a wild few months afterwards ... come to think of it I don't take my sanity quite as for granted as I did before either ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 07:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 10:27 pm (UTC)Losing everything to fire is nothing to make light of either: it's a very traumatic event. I'm sorry you went through that. I'm terrified of fire - it must've been horrible.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 10:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-26 10:32 pm (UTC)After 91 I haven't even wanted to live in a house without a basement let alone a mobile home *shudder* I remember the year following is when we had 80 mph sustained on a 3-5 minute gust front. I hid and refused to come out til it was allll over.
I've tried to hope that the greyhound went quickly. He was gone when we finally found him. We lost the dauchsaund (not pictured) later that night and the doberman a bit after that.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-27 12:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-27 01:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-27 06:54 am (UTC)I lived in a trailer in OK and I remember having winds that sounded like it was taking the siding off the trailer as well. *shudder*
I'm with you - never again.
The remembering > Tornados
Date: 2006-04-27 02:06 pm (UTC)I survived a big one in Louisville. I think it was in 1991 also, April 1 comes to mind. Not being selective, this tornado hit the ritzy area. Big dollar homes were destroyed is seconds! These were easy to rebuild. The trees and wildlife taken that day can never be replaced!
Junction City, been there when Audrey was left alone while Rich was in Iraq. Manhattan, big shopping spree! lol
C
Re: The remembering > Tornados
Date: 2006-04-27 02:18 pm (UTC)There ARE a lot of emotions and when you've had one come through even an area you're from and see the destruction left behind it's overwhelming. I miss the trees too --- we had OLD ones - as old as the original house and it had square nails. The pets were rough to lose as well but I am thankful every day that my son survived it.
hehehehe Manhattan KS - oooo big town LOL. I'm more familiar with Wichita but I've been to Manhattan and yes Junction City and on across to Topeka.
Re: The remembering > Tornados
Date: 2006-04-28 01:23 am (UTC)OMG! What if it hurts or I get lost or...well it could happen, ya know1
***Been thinking on it, kind of shy here. :))
c
Re: The remembering > Tornados
Date: 2006-04-28 06:57 am (UTC)This is more of a journal format and I like it better in some ways - I think yahoo is almost more like their groups than this is.
If you do join up be sure and let me know and yes you can have a free account here - I just chose the paid because I like all the bells and whistles ... and of course you don't have to either ;) You can just reply on here like you have been.
*smiles*