Tuesday, April 24, 2007

13 years ago ...

As I sit here and look at the weather radar, with the possibility of threatening storms, I see the calendar reads "April 24."
If you lived in Lancaster, Texas, or DeSoto, Texas (neighboring cities) 13 years ago (1994), it is a date that comes with a certain amount of uneasiness.
Twin F4 tornadoes, which were actually spinning together, struck the two southern Dallas County communities, around 9 p.m. (exactly 9:38 p.m. when the storm struck Lancaster's Town Square), killing three people and destroying more than 600 homes.
It was one of the most destructive tornadoes to hit this part of North Texas, but goes almost unnoticed (except for a visit to the former historic site which still bears the quite visible scars on that night) in the Metroplex. Even the people of Lancaster fail to stop and take one minute to remember the dead and the hurt it inflicted. Instead too many people pretend it didn't happen. Which is sad more than it being in bad taste (which it is as well).
Those of us who went through it, and covered it for the news media afterwards, won't easily forget. Which is why today, I keep one eye on the skies and the other on the calendar. History often DOES repeat itself.
Let's hope not.

No comments: