A day that changed the lives of everyone in Alabama, and most everyone in the entire southeastern region.
Tornadoes and heavy storms ripped through the region, destroying entire cities, counties, everything in some spots. Hundreds killed, thousands injured, tens of thousands if not more than lost everything.
That night as the tornadoes moved on through Georgia and other areas, a light rain fell, then the clouds rolled away leaving a beautiful starry night. Almost as if mocking what happened throughout the day. The next day, Thursday, people came out to see the damage. Search and rescue crews started looking for lost people. Clean up crews started mobilizing to do damage control. Hourly reports of the dead were rolling in. All local channels were tuned to their city's disaster area and others.
All through Thursday people were giving reports of the damages, the losses, the death tolls...also about how people were banding together to see what they could do to help their fellow man.
Friday, the President flew in to Tuscaloosa, one of the bigger areas hit, and toured the area, amazed at the devastation. He signed a disaster declaration act to get federal emergency aid to come in and help with the clean up. Meanwhile the communities still got together and worked to help each other.
That Friday morning, my I was bringing my wife home from the hospital as the result of a jaw surgery to relieve her TMJ and an overnight stay. We came through one of our local towns, Fultondale, which the southern part was hit directly by the tornado that would later be measured as almost 2 miles wide when it ripped through the area. Buildings were demolished, homes destroyed, thousands of trees uprooted, thrown aside, dropped on houses and structures, trash and debris strown everywhere. I stopped in a few open areas to take pictures. One thing I noticed were patches of people here and there, trying to help where they could.
It's all very overwhelming. There's so much damage most people don't even know where to begin. Power was out for days in our area, and power will be out for weeks in other areas due to the tornado completely leveling power stations that will have to be built from the ground up.
Every little bit helps. Some people have formed help groups on social networking sites. Toomer's in Auburn formed a massive group linked all over the nation called Toomer's For Tuscaloosa. They have literally made contacts all over the United States that are sending, mailing, driving in things to help our crippled state. I have had friends and family out west contacting me to 1, see if I and my family are okay, and 2, see if there's anything they can do from afar to help. Some are sending supplies, some are sending money to buy supplies to take to areas in need.
People like James Spann are tirelessly helping out by sending messages here and there to areas in need and helping to direct people wanting to help or haul supplies to those areas. It's all so amazing.
I've contacted several companies I have dealt with in years past or I use and endorse their products to see if they may be able to help. I have had a few respond so far. Coast Products, known for awesome flashlights and knives are sending me a package of flashlights to carry out to those who will not have power for a while. This is a most gracious thing they have done and I wish to thank them for that, but I feel I cannot thank them enough.
I have helped with organizing a few cleanup groups, helping to direct people to areas that need help most, and am even attempting to gather supplies to take to a neighborhood where my mother lives and several others who were hit by the early morning storms and tornadoes. Sadly, most people view their area as just another spot on a map, so they don't get a lot of help up that way. My mother has kept me posted that some of the local churches have banded together and are taking food to those without and those who cannot get out for themselves, and offering assistance where they need.
Me and a friend drove up to Cullman on this past Sunday, which was another very hard hit place, and on the way home we drove through the center of where the damage was. We saw churches with tarps over the roof, but the doors and windows were open and people were inside singing the praises of God and being thankful for what they have. We saw people working to clear the rubble, and all seemed to be in relatively good spirits. People smiling and waving and everything...it's amazing.
I'm seeing so many people pull together to help their fellow man...unfortunately with the goodness comes those bad people as well, who are out for their personal gain, or those with criminal hearts that are looting and stealing what they can...those that are trying to scam what they can out of people who have already lost everything. It makes me sad to hear and see these reports come in.
It's times like these that will definitely bring out the worst in some, yet the very best in others. I am truly thankful to say I can live in an area that people give without thinking, help without hesitation, care without worry. I hope people view me as one of those as well, as the little that I'm doing, I'm doing what I can to help others.
Oh Heavenly God we ask that you place your healing hands on those who were wounded, breathe comfort in to those who are down and depressed, comfort those who lost loved ones and protect those who need shelter. Please help us to learn the lesson to love our fellow man, and help us to remember this always. This is the only way we can heal ourselves and take better care of our world.
Meteorologists are still studying the aftereffects to see the damages and the results of it, so far saying there were over 300 tornadoes that ripped through the state, and saying this is worse than Hurricane Katrina, Ivan, Opal, Hugo, any other natural disaster that's happened in the United States.
A day of disaster, a life time of memories...
