The following is an “unrolled” archive of this Twitter thread.
Trigger warning: tornadoes , grief
11 years ago today on April 27, 2011, I was 6 years old. I don’t remember much, but I do remember loving the weather.
I remember going to school and the TV was on James Spann (@spann). I watched him all day. The tornadoes on TV were terrifying. We went home a little early, and when I got home I kept watching the weather. Later in the evening, I remember hearing the sirens (county-wide legacy system) non-stop for what felt like ages. I was scared but stayed safe.
Then came watching the aftermath. I remember watching someone get pulled out of the debris with their back stabilized on a wooden door. I had nightmares about that scene for months.
The outbreak on April 27, 2011, was generational. While I wasn’t personally affected by a storm other than having water damage, every single year when the date rolls around, I am filled with dread, grief, and a sense of mourning.
Alabama’s infrastructure has been rebuilt, but I still think about the 252 people who died and the families who cannot get their person back. Remember that things can be replaced, but people can’t. I got lucky. Hold your people close.
Derek I. Schmitz 