Stories from the April 16, 1998 Tornado

I distinctly remember the next day crawling through the maze of trees and debris toward my friend's house on 15th between Eastland and Ordway. When I finally arrived there I met his next door neighbor and family standing in the yard. I noticed his front porch was gone - roof, columns and all.

Thinking it had landed some feet away or maybe in someone's back yard, I asked him "Where's your porch?" Without speaking, he just pointed his index finger to the sky.

The next day about 10 friends had assembled at my (undamaged) home gathering chain saws, axes, rakes, nipping shears and anything that would help in a cleanup and marched over again to my friend's house. His wife saw us coming to help and burst into tears. She later said she felt like she saw God's Army of Grace marching down the street.

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