Let’s throw a tornado into the mix

[Hill billy]

If y’all want to see some twister action go to tornado in Jonesboro Arkansas. This storm came within 150yds of taking 19 years of my business in a flash. My wife called me while watching it live and said she seen the store go up. Fortunately for us it was a near by industry. This took place at about 5pm Saturday and usually at this time our city is hopping. The mall took a direct hit. If not for the cornona virus the streets and mall would have been full. 22 injured no deaths. It’s a miracle. Boys I will admit I was listening to live coverage on the radio and knew it did not look good and then I got the phone call from my wife. I thought I would be looking for a new building this morning. Very sick feeling. I also have friends with businesses and of course more importantly families so holy cow!!!

[Grizzly]

I'm glad you and yours survived it. We had one hop over our house years ago and damage the garage and some trees. The daughter and her two were in the basement and we were camping about 40 miles away. We had wind yesterday, but it looks like the bad weather was south of us.

That video was scary as that thing suddenly comes out of the clouds right near the city. The cleanup will take some time. Our village is surrounded by a little larger size city then yours, was closed off by the police during clean up and power restoration. The Red Cross showed up with a food truck which was a blessing until things got back to normal. On the way home from camping, I bought a few new chain saw blades and a bar. It was almost fun working with the neighbors on the block as we cut up many fallen trees together.

If one came today I don't know how I could ever get my wife in the basement as she is now a bedridden amputee and hard to get into a wheel chair. Makes you think of how many out there really can't get out of the way of one of those storms.

Miracles and blessings are good for the soul, as is a thankful heart.

[Captainkirk]

Glad you dodged a bullet. Saw the footage on TV...scary indeed!

[Nock]

Dang!!! Glad you and family are ok. That would have been bad if that mall been open.

[Hill billy]

Dang!!! Glad you and family are ok. That would have been bad if that mall been open.

Yes sir! The covid19 restrictions inadvertently saved some lives I’m sure. Only parts of the mall were open. On spring break at 5pm Saturday afternoon would have been awful. There were cars scattered everywhere and if the parking lot had been even remotely as full as normal it would have been something to behold. There still hauling out cars that look like they have been to the crusher. It will humble a man seeing the force of a twister.

[Grizzly]

It will humble a man seeing the force of a twister.

It's interesting that you chose those words out of all the reactions we generally hear after tornadoes. The focus usually seems to be on its destructive power and the carnage in its wake, not its humbling effects.

After a few months in Viet Nam, I was at the helicopter pad waiting on a delivery when a dozen or so landed, dropping off South Vietnamese soldiers who had been in a fierce engagement. For the first time I saw how fragile human bodies actually are. There were mangled and torn men now laying everywhere as the local Vietnamese jeep ambulances with litter carriers started hauling them to the local hospital. We noticed they were taking the dead along with the wounded and even were running out of gas. The two of us were moved to put the pick up truck we had to use hauling as many as we could in the bed and also litters stacked on top of the bed to their hospital. I'll never forget the look on the faces of the locals who received the wounded that day, seeing US soldiers helping their own people. They were very, very grateful and I was humbled that day to a reality I had never known before.

I believe this virus is hitting the world in a similar manner. Many will be humbled. I wonder if many will be brought to a new reality in their lives.