My first personal loss to a tornado

I spent much of my childhood in the tornado alley of Texas, and I worked for FEMA helping with major tornado recovery. But today is my first personal loss.

I lost a relative overnight to the tornado outside Seneca, Missouri. She lived, as do many people in rural areas, in a mobile home. Yes, it had all the required tie-downs, but tie downs are no match for a tornado of any size.

She couldn't leave her home for safety in a "bar ditch" as we call those drop-offs alongside roadways. She was in her bed. Even so, she gets around on a motorized wheelchair and was on oxygen. Utimately, she made it to a ditch, but not under her own steam. She landed there, with her beloved husband still clinging to her, trying to protect her from injury. A neighbor came by and took them to the hospital, but she didn't make it.

My family grieves this Mother's Day, especially my 82-year-old cousin in Galena, Kansas, for who m my Missouri cousin was her closest relative. They kept each other company via daily email conversations. [Lot's of "cousins" in this blog, but I can't possibly explain the relationships--both women on are the Armitage side of my grandmother's family.]

I learned from my years working for FEMA that one can't measure how "bad" a disaster is, that if it affects you or your family, it's the worst. How true.

My Mother's Day advice: Pull your loved ones close, even by phone or email. Remember fondly those who are no longer with us, no matter their (or our) foibles. Love them for the good they represent. Reach out with your heart for those who are grieving today.

Comments

[Tweed]

Pam, I am so sorry for your loss. I know henceforth there will be a hole in your life. I was involved in the Lawton-Wichita Falls tornadoes in April 1979. I know how bad it can be...I saw it first hand. The experience changed me forever. I know words cannot convey the proper sympathy. My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[jgarcia]

Pam, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Your reminder to always appreciate our loved ones is one that is worth repeating often. And it's this sort of thing that puts everything else in our lives in perspective. I'll be thinking of you and your family. Julie