Sorry, but this one is a little bit of downer.  Last Friday, a huge tornado hit very close to my hometown.  Henryville IN is only 20 miles up the road for my little town.  A lot of people I know live up that way.  Luckily, no one I know was hurt and my family is all save. 

In 1974, a series of tornadoes came through the area.  These were part of a super cell that developed and swept the country.  I remember driving through the same area looking at twisted trees and torn roofs.  At least Henryville and Marysville were spared that year.  This year, they were not so lucky.

I saw the pictures of Henryville High School (which also housed the grade school and middle school).  It was so bad to look at.  I’ve been in that school a bunch of times over the years.  Henryville is one of the 3 schools that make up my home school district, West Clark Community Schools.  I was glad to hear that no one was hurt there, even though there were students and teachers in the building at the time.

The town looks absolutely devasted in the pictures that everyone is posting.  My great aunt and uncle lived on the hill behind what used to be Stewart’s Funeral Home.  All I see are splinters in that area.  I could see Dr. Carr’s old building, but I assume it took damage.  It’s like my memories have been turned upside down.

I thought I saw the house that my dad was born in, but it might have been another house.  He was born just on the other side of the Clark State Forest outside of Henryville.  I’ve marveled that the house has stood this long.  He would have been 89 this years.  Someone has fixed it up over the last few years.  I hope it survived.

Marysville was destroyed as well.  I remember times hanging out there when my dad’s cousin, Dicie Belle, lived in the area.  Back a generation or two, my aunt’s family lived there.  They are all gone now and now the storm has blasted away their houses as well.  From what I saw in photos and video, the hardware store, the church and a couple of buildings were all that was left.  So sad. But luckily, no one lost their lives there.

Some cousins live just north of Marysville. The cemetary where my parents are buried along with other family members would have been just north of the path and might have been hit.  I haven’t heard from anyone on damages. 

I say a prayer for all those affected and for those trying to help them.  I’m sorry for the lives lost in the area and the damages inflicted on the residents.  I know they will rebuild their lives and remember the scars in the years to come.