It is that time of year again, the day when I sit back and remember all the events that unfolded the night of February 5, 2008. What was easily one of worst and scariest days of my life turned out to be one of the greatest. It was an extremely warm day for West Tennessee. When we are used to cold weather, and possibly even snow, throughout much of January, February, and March, the 80 degree weather was quite concerning. We all knew that storms were on the way, but we did not know what would transpire that night. No one ever thinks that the big storm is actually going to hit the city in which you live, much less the block that you live on. But for those of as Union University that night, our worst nightmare came true. One of the EF-4 tornadoes spawned from that monster storm system tore right through our campus, through the heart of our resident life section.
So many thoughts went through my head at that moment. There was fear. There was peace. There was the concern for the loss of life as well as injuries. I did not know where some of my closest friends were. I was with a roommate that I had only know for about a week, and he has now become a very close friend. We did not know if all we had was destroyed, for my room was just above my head at the time. Then, we had to go to into survival mode. Where do we go now? Where will we find safety? Are there any buildings left on campus that we can take refuge in? As we began to meet up with friends and realize that they were safe, we also began to worry about those we had not yet heard from. Some were trapped under the rubble. Some had not made it to safety yet. Some were still in their rooms.
But God protected us. He saw us through the entire night. No lives were lost that night thanks to Him! He provide us with safety in the largest building on campus. He sent our professors and members of our churches to campus to take us to their homes for the night. He sent the system on through, and the cool temperatures that followed were amazing! The storm was over. But then, a million more questions came. Now what? What's left? Will we have school again? Is the semester over? What did I lose tonight? The next morning began a massive recovery project led by our president, Dr. Dockery. Under his leadership, plans were put in motion. Personal possessions (what was left) were retrieved and distributed. Dorms were torn down. Construction began. The semester restarted 2 weeks later. Then, by August, we had our dorms back, and now 3 years later, there is no evidence of the storm on campus.
There is so much to be thankful for through the events of that night and the days that followed. All those who had been trapped and injured recovered. By the middle of the semester, everyone was out of the hospital, and no lives had been lost. God truly protected us. Although it has been 3 years, the events of that night seem just as real today as they did then. I can still see it in my mind, hear the sounds, feel the emotions, and remember the fear as well as the peace. It is something I will never forget and do not want to forget. I do not want to forget how great God was to us that night. I do not want to forget his love, power, and protection. I do not want to forget the strength he gave us to make it through the night physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
This blog is a direct result of the events that happened that night. It is the reason I began writing. What started as a website where I could post updates about the storm and the rebuilding project that followed has transpired into so much more. And for a walk down memory lane, take a look at this old post where I compiled my writings from the last 3 years (2008-2010)...
February 5, 2008
Matt
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