Epic
Senior Don Juan
I live in Alabama near areas where tornadoes came through on Wednesday. My girlfriend lives in Pleasant Grove, which was in the path of the most destructive one that came through Tuscaloosa. It was moving at 204mph and I was texting her when I learned that it was headed toward her area. She lives in a house with no basement, so I told her to go into the hallway and stay as close to the ground as possible. She and her best friend pulled a mattress into the hallway and hid underneath it. Right when it started to go through her area she told me that the house was shaking, the power went out, and that she heard something that sounded like a train getting louder. Then nothing, no answer from calls or texts. I panicked and went to look for her.
When I got there it was almost completely dark, and I had to park a little over a mile from her house because of a police blockade. As I was parking she finally called me. She told me that she was ok and that her house seemed to be fine. I walked a little ways down the road that led to her place and it wasn't long before I came across complete devastation. There was nothing but rubble and small remnants of what used to be houses. Trees, debris, and downed power lines littered most of the road and the surrounding landscape, which rolled on for as far as I could see; barely anything was still standing.
I was afraid, but I knew she probably was too, so I kept going. I made my way as best as I could through the wasteland before me, trying to avoid power lines which were hard to identify in the darkness with all the other debris. The smell of gas was in the air. I wasn't quite sure if I was going the right way, I'd forgotten a flash light so at times it was hard to tell if I was still on the road. One of my only clues that helped me along until I began to see people was a road sign bent in several odd angles. Survivors would stumble by out of the darkness, some in a daze or crying, most were looking for their loved ones. Police, EMTs, and firefighters were spread thin over the area looking for those in need of rescue. There was so much ground to be covered and not enough resources. Sometimes I would pass doctors or nurses looking just as distraught as those who had survived. It was horrible to imagine that there could be people out there trapped in the dark.
The rubble and debris became less frequent as I began to approach Hill's grocery store, which was behind her house. In the parking lot there seemed to be part of an incident management center set up there, either triage or command. It was full of emergency vehicles and construction vehicles there to help clean up. I passed all of this and went straight to her home. The tornado had missed her by less than the length of a football field. Thankfully she was completely unharmed. Others weren't so fortunate.
I stayed with her that night and the next day, the air was frequented by helicopters and the ground by four-wheelers, emergency and clean up crews, all trying to make sense of what was left. People sifted through what was left of their homes, trying to piece their lives back together. Others just stood staring at the rubble with looks of hopelessness on their faces. Sadly, the area also contained looters and sightseers. Both hindered the efforts of those trying to give aid. I am shocked by all that I have seen, but it wasn't until I could get near a television that I could see the extent of the damages over the south. Over 300 people are dead, many injured, and some still missing.
I'm telling you all this now because I want people to see things from my point of view and understand what people are going through. If you want to help you can find the Red Cross chapters' websites online. There you can be informed on how to donate or volunteer if you live close by. Thank you for taking the time to read this and remember that whatever you can give helps.
JD
When I got there it was almost completely dark, and I had to park a little over a mile from her house because of a police blockade. As I was parking she finally called me. She told me that she was ok and that her house seemed to be fine. I walked a little ways down the road that led to her place and it wasn't long before I came across complete devastation. There was nothing but rubble and small remnants of what used to be houses. Trees, debris, and downed power lines littered most of the road and the surrounding landscape, which rolled on for as far as I could see; barely anything was still standing.
I was afraid, but I knew she probably was too, so I kept going. I made my way as best as I could through the wasteland before me, trying to avoid power lines which were hard to identify in the darkness with all the other debris. The smell of gas was in the air. I wasn't quite sure if I was going the right way, I'd forgotten a flash light so at times it was hard to tell if I was still on the road. One of my only clues that helped me along until I began to see people was a road sign bent in several odd angles. Survivors would stumble by out of the darkness, some in a daze or crying, most were looking for their loved ones. Police, EMTs, and firefighters were spread thin over the area looking for those in need of rescue. There was so much ground to be covered and not enough resources. Sometimes I would pass doctors or nurses looking just as distraught as those who had survived. It was horrible to imagine that there could be people out there trapped in the dark.
The rubble and debris became less frequent as I began to approach Hill's grocery store, which was behind her house. In the parking lot there seemed to be part of an incident management center set up there, either triage or command. It was full of emergency vehicles and construction vehicles there to help clean up. I passed all of this and went straight to her home. The tornado had missed her by less than the length of a football field. Thankfully she was completely unharmed. Others weren't so fortunate.
I stayed with her that night and the next day, the air was frequented by helicopters and the ground by four-wheelers, emergency and clean up crews, all trying to make sense of what was left. People sifted through what was left of their homes, trying to piece their lives back together. Others just stood staring at the rubble with looks of hopelessness on their faces. Sadly, the area also contained looters and sightseers. Both hindered the efforts of those trying to give aid. I am shocked by all that I have seen, but it wasn't until I could get near a television that I could see the extent of the damages over the south. Over 300 people are dead, many injured, and some still missing.
I'm telling you all this now because I want people to see things from my point of view and understand what people are going through. If you want to help you can find the Red Cross chapters' websites online. There you can be informed on how to donate or volunteer if you live close by. Thank you for taking the time to read this and remember that whatever you can give helps.
JD
