General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe evening of June 8, 1953, a massive F-5 tornado slammed into Flint, Michigan.
The final death toll was 116, with hundreds injured. It is still listed in the top 10 most deadly tornadoes to hit the US.
It is a memorable date for my family because, a few hours later, I was born. My Dad wasnt allowed up to see me, right away, because they needed him to help with the triage at the hospital. He wasnt a doctor. He was a Marine, a teacher and a football coach. I guess they figured, with his background, hed be able to contribute to the saving of lives. He told me that the guy in charge of the triage said he had lots of time to be with me, but right then he was needed by so many others. So he stayed and worked, doing what ever was asked of him. As if it was possible, that made him an even bigger hero, in my eyes.
[img][/img]
[img][/img]
mcar
(42,403 posts)Your dad was a hero. Happy birthday!
And, yes, he was a hero to so many.
csziggy
(34,139 posts)Siwsan
(26,308 posts)I remember, so clearly, him talking about the children who had been rolled, by the winds, and they had dirt and gravel embedded into their skin. For the rest of his life, he always treated tornado warnings with the utmost of respect, and we kids were always bundled away, under a wash tub, in the basement.
kcr
(15,320 posts)And it happened almost 20 years before I was born. My dad was born very shortly after too, and I remember my grandmother telling me she was afraid she was going to go into labor that day she was so scared. They lived very close to where it hit. Michigan gets tornados but they're usually not massive beasts like that one. I don't believe there was much, if any warning.
Siwsan
(26,308 posts)She knew she was going into labor, and wanted to wash up before going to the hospital, because it had been a hot, humid day. But when she turned on the tap, there was no water. So she said they melted some ice cubes, and she used that water to clean up.
barbtries
(28,813 posts)that's a great story.
I think there were times that my mom came to see that as a omen.