Oh my gosh guys! A tornado hit West Liberty Ky on March 2, 2012! They say the ratings were up to an F4 or F5. They say the destruction is so bad that there is nothing but debris on Main Street and the top of the clock tower is completely gone. I mean, it's like clean off!
Let me start at the beginning.... On February 29, 2012 there was an F2 tornado near our school. I was in class when it happened. We had a tornado drill and all the girls were freaked out. We were in reading class then. So we went into the hallways for the tornado drill. I thought it was just a drill, but then I noticed it was the real thing. So then we went to the green pod, in an old empty Kindergarten room. We hid under tables and I hid in the cubby next to Casey. Ms. Amanda said that I should go over to the girls. Then I thought of getting them pillows and I put them on the girls. Then they put the pillows behind their heads. I was singing a song to the girls to make them feel better. But I did put in a few words in the song that kind of freaked them out.... oops.
~ March 2, 2012
Two days after the F2 tornado hit near our school, another tornado was on the way, you know the F4 & F5 were the ones. I was surprised when I thought there were going to be no tornadoes in Eastern Kentucky. Only the southern part get those. I didn't think a tornado would hit here. It's like Tornado Alley shifted and it swallowed up half of Kentucky. If only Reed Timmer (storm chaser who lives in Oklahoma in tornado alley) were here, he would be able to measure the scales of these two tornadoes. Actually, make that 3 if you count the F2 tornado. Reed is a successful storm chaser who spends most of his time chasing storms. He has a lot of equipment that helps him detect the storms readings. He would be surprised from our tornadoes readings! He drives a vehicle call the "DOMINATOR"! (it looks like a big red shoe) Anyway, back to the chase... if he were here he would protect our lives and let us know what we need to do in a tornado.
Now, on to 964 Dogwood Lane, March 2, 2012 We had to get to the basement. We got everything, flashlights and candles and it was Friday. It was Family Movie Night time. We got our movie players out and charged them up so then we could watch Family Movie Night. We got two movies, "The Ant Bully" and "Everyone's Hero". But enough of that, let's get back to the tornado.... while we were in the basement, lights went off and the sky got dark and the trees started to sway. You know Casey and Dora my dog and cat from my other blogs right? My pets curled up under some outside furniture so then they were safe from any debris hitting them. (Meanwhile, back in the basement...) we were all ready to go to sleep. We were done watching our movies and we had plenty of food and water. I didn't know the scale of the tornadoes but then I found them out the next day. I didn't know what was happening but I was being very brave. We got on the mattresses and fell asleep.
The next morning, we found out that the electricity was still out and we didn't have TV for 6 days. (it was a very boring 6 days) In the morning, my mom took me and my brother to Morehead to buy supplies. We got ourselves a big generator for the office and a chain saw and lots of batteries and water! As we came back to West Liberty, we saw that there was security on the county lines. Mom had to show that she was an insurance woman and that's when we went through West Liberty.
The first damage I saw was the Methodist Church, this was my church. We go to it every Sunday (usually). It's steeple toppled over near the road. Luckily it didn't hit anyone. Then the movie theater, it was barely damaged, because it's located underneath. You know about the clock tower don't you. Commercial Bank was destroyed too. Some of it's iron steel beams were twisted inside. The whole town looked like a bomb went off in the center. Old Mill Park was damaged too. There was a big flood of the Licking River. Some of the park was swallowed up by the water. I'm sure it's gone down by now, right? In 2013 all of this will be gone. That is one year from now. When I saw the damage for the first time, I felt like everyone I knew and loved was dead, but they weren't. It made me sad, but I didn't cry. It felt like I was crying from the inside. The entire city was my heart and it was shattered. I couldn't believe this. I didn't think something like this would ever happen. I thought our town would always stay the same.... but it didn't. I hope to make new memories from our new town.
I hope you tell your kids about this when you are old and make sure you hold some of the evidence of the tornado damage. People from the Methodist Church are collecting glass from the broken windows to remember our old church and to remember the day that came. I hope you have a piece too and make sure you tell your kids and make them tell their kids and tell this story for generations to come.
Right now for the next few weeks, we must be thankful that we are not hurt. Everyone should work together as a team and make sure our community is like it was in the past. We shall work together to rebuild ourselves. To rebuild our love that we had for the City and make sure we don't waste it and make sure that we save it for the generations to come and remember the people who lost their homes and their lives. God's hand will always protect us from the evils of the wind that came to us but we can fix everything that we have. As long as we work together in love.
We will always love West Liberty.
P.S. CURSE YOU MOTHER NATURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~~~Another blog from Brennan..... I'll write more soon!
