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The Tornado

June 5, 1993 is a day that we will never forget. The worst Tornado out break that had ever hit the Eastern States occurred.

I was on the high way, driving in a rush, to get home before the storm front hit.

Everyone driving along the high way knew the cold front was close, and had already created problems for towns to the west.

Radio reports were repeating repeatedly the damage that was occurring. Each report of trees' down, tractor-trailers turned over, houses' blown off foundations and injuries made my stomach drop each time.

Darting through traffic, my mind kept drifting toward my wife and children. Knowing they were home alone and about to face what was coming was heart breaking.

My eyes could not help but to scan the clouds around me. I was hoping that I would not see what I already knew that I was going to see.

As I drive over the next hill, sure enough, the sky was green as grass.

I think to myself "Oh no! Please not now! Please hold off a few more minutes, till I get home."

Then the sky turned black and the wind blew so strong I could feel the car tipping to one side.

I start praying, and hoping that I could make the final half-mile drive home.

After a few moments of dodging flying debris, and several objects that had blown into the road, I reach my home.

To my astonishment, a tree is laying over the roof.

I think to myself, "Oh no! Please let my wife and children be okay."

The car barely had time to stop in the driveway, before I had the driver's door open to get out of my car.

As I hurriedly ran toward the house, my wife opens the front door.

I think to myself "Thank goodness she looks okay."

When I run through the front door, I excitedly ask her "Are you and the kids okay?"

She responds ever so calmly "Yes"

Still excited, I explain to her about the tree on the roof, along with how worried I was about her and the children.

She calmly responds, "We are okay and glad to see that you are okay."

After the storm passes, her, I, and the children go outside to survey the damage.

We were so fortunate, too not had sustained any damage to the house.

The rest of that evening, the four of us cut the broken tree off the house. Then hauled the limbs to a brush pile that we had previously made earlier in the spring.

Learn more about this author, Roger Penny.
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