Thursday evening I was rocking Gus, trying to calm him down for the night, when I received a call like no other from my mom. She was in Wadena with her brother, visiting my grandparents at their home of 46 years when a tornado struck the town. They all thankfully managed to get down to the basement upon hearing sirens, and soon after the twister touched down, carrying off my grandparents' garage and destroying their house completely. My grandma was hit in the head with a cement block that blew out from the basement wall, which led them in search of medical attention (read story here). Much relief to all, she turned out to be okay, and incredibly, no one in the town of 4,000 was killed.
My mom said they were scared to head up the basement stairs and open the door after the tornado hit. What they soon found was a completely different scene than what they left moments prior. I have yet to see photos of their house, but apparently the roof was blown off, pieces of other people's homes are lodged into the back side of my grandparents' home, my grandpa's car was turned on its side, the trees on the entire street are gone. The town was hit hard. Along with my grandparents' neighborhood, the school and community center were destroyed along with countless other homes.
My grandparents are both 89 years old, and were definitely approaching the point where they were needing to "down-size" into a senior-friendly, one-level home. But it is heart-wrenching to think that the decision was made ever so abruptly for them on Thursday evening. They did not have the chance to take their time in parting with what they have known to be home for 46 years. I look at the photos below thinking about how much time was spent perfecting their garden, flowers, shrubs and trees. How my grandpa had a spotless garage with his tools arranged just so. How the inside of their home had been so comfortable for them for so long.
It amazes me to think of the timing, and that both my mom and uncle happened to be visiting their folks during this disaster. We are so thankful that everyone was okay, and more thankful still that my grandparents were not alone when this happened.
1 comment:
Missy, it just makes me cry to see how much was taken away from them. But I'm glad they're physically OK and that you'll all have a part in the next few weeks in helping them heal. Gus will be just the soothing ointment they need.
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