Musings: Tornado

The Central Texas, I-35 town of Jarrell was literally wiped off the map in May 1997 when an F5 hit and killed 29 people and approximately 300 head of cattle.

At McDonald Middle School in Mesquite, one horrific, spring day saw a tornado coming from the northeast across the football field and a fire occurring in the building in the shop area simultaneously. McDonald is a converted open classroom-concept school, which means there are very few windows throughout the building, so when the electricity went off in the building, most areas were in pitch-black darkness. Due to the fire and the tornado, other people's children were outside to escape the fire and inside to stay protected from the storm.

Lancaster and DeSoto experienced their own, real version of a tornado in 1994. Its effects devastated the town square of Lancaster, wiping out many buildings, businesses, and homes. I taught in Palmer at the time and was driving a van load of students to Stephenville to the 2AA regional tennis tournament. It was dark, rainy, windy, and here I was responsible for a lot of other people's children, and we were in a car. I taught in Lancaster in 1996 when the movie Twister aired. It was not allowed to be shown at the Lancaster Cinemark theatre. My classroom was in the older part of the building, and it had two skylights, and with the exception of a 36" high wall, the back wall was solid windows. Whenever it became stormy, the kids became anxious and worried.

Working for the Freestone-Navarro Bi-County CO-OP, I serve 12 schools in seven districts. A little over a year ago, construction began on a new campus in Rice--the Intermediate-Middle School. Unfortunately, on Sunday, a high EF2 storm rolled through northern Navarro county at Rice and heavily damaged the new school. Engineers announced that part of the building is structurally sound and will be salvaged, but part of the building will have to be torn down and rebuilt.

I was driving east on US 190 in Belton when I first heard about the storm on Waco 99.9 fm radio. They announced that a tornado was on the ground and heading towards the schools in Rice. I could see the western side of the storm cloud as I drove east, then north on I-35. The most disheartening aspect was that cloud was beautiful from where I was. There were no clouds overhead, only to the east, the sun was setting in a beautiful baby blue sky, and those terrible storm clouds were reflecting some of the most serenely beautiful purples and pinks and oranges. As light began to wane and dusk dawned, the tops of the clouds shone a beautiful lightening storm; yet, with all that beauty, I knew there was a terrible destruction fraught with fear happening below.

I text messaged tutors in the area, and one was in a closet at church, one was taking shelter at home while her husband stood out in the front yard tracking the storm, because he is a storm spotter. Two others texted they were okay. As their messages came in, it was dark and I could see the North Star clearly. I was traveling north on FM 308 and watched the lightening stop and give way to what was left of a gorgeous Hunter's Moon peaking out from the clouds and then appearing fully. For something that caused so much chaos, there was a lot of beauty, too. I am thankful that everyone was safe. I am thankful that the storm occurred on a Sunday. I am thankful that the building can and will be rebuilt.