Tornado Witness Radio

Just Keep Going… Go Fast

Pat Ford of Newton County Missouri along with her sister and niece outran a EF-3 tornado in their van while returning from Branson, Missouri. Traveling at over 80 miles per hour, the van was picked up several times and a piece of hail the size of a softball smashed out the window perhaps hitting Pat. She does not know for sure. Only Pat’s own words can describe what she saw and felt: “This is something that is so different… Because you relive it… You See it… I close my eyes and all I can see is that dirt around me, or whatever it was, and all the debris. It’s just like I try to go to sleep and it takes me a long time to go to sleep… I guess I just wear myself out and then I finally go to sleep. But until I go to sleep, I just see all of this… I see the downed trees, I see the debris, and mostly that darkness, that cloud or whatever it was around us.

A Weather Radio Saved My Life

Dusty had about 9 minutes to leave his home before it was completely destroyed by the tornado. A weather radio and quick action on his part saved his life.

 

100-year-old Tornado Survivor Can’t Forget

100-year-old Stella Velinsky of Colon, Nebraska can’t forget the tornado she survived more than 50 years ago. Stella talks about the 1953 Yutan, Nebraska tornado that destroyed her farm and carried her son more than a block away. Stella also talks about hard work and the newspaper route that is still in her name.

 

Save Lives First, Then Take Cover

Weld County Tornado: May 22, 2008.

Peter Ambrose served in both Vietnam and the first Iraq War. In Vietnam he was injured twice and received 2 Purple Hearts. Ambrose said that he was trained to think of others. Rather than take cover in the Atlas E Missile Silo that he tends to, he immediately thought of his neighbors and rushed to warn them of the tornado. A right turn was the only thing that came between him and death. Unfortunately, a fellow veteran that Ambrose tried to save took a wrong turn and became the storm’s only victim. With only moments to spare, Ambrose jumped out of his truck and crawled about 25 feet to the safety of a cinder block bathroom. Ambrose lives in Weld County where tornados are somewhat common, yet there was nothing common about this tornado that came from out of nowhere and gave no warning. Even the tornado itself was unlike any that he had seen before, just a large mass that looked like cotton candy floating around in a drum

 

“Norm was my Guardian Angel”

Renae Kincaid and Norm Beuthien were thrown more than 300 feet by the tornado that hit their home near New Hartford, Iowa. Renae survived, but her beloved boyfriend Norm did not. Moments before the couple were taken by the tornado, Norm kissed Renae and interlocked arms with her while the two clutched a wooden carving of Norm’s mom. “Everything’s going to be ok…Just hold on… Don’t let go” Renae remembers nothing from that moment forward, but is sure that Norm did something to save her life. “Norm was my guardian angel” In this Tornado Witness Radio interview, Renae talks about the devastation of the tornado, her extensive injuries, and life and friendship with Norm.

“Emmy’s Story”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

Emmy Cherry was only 10 years old when she was taken by the tornado that destroyed Atkins, Arkansas on February 5, 2008. In this special Tornado Witness interview, you will learn about how very special Emmy was from stories from family and through the many stories that Emmy wrote. Emmy was only 10 years old, but she was said to have the reading level of a college freshman. Judge for yourself once you have heard some of her stories included in this interview with her Grandmother, Kay Cherry.

 

 I’m Rich in What Counts

81-year-old Dorothy Sherman survived an EF-5 tornado with nothing else but a card table to hide under. Dorothy talks about the tornado, about her life in New Hartford, and why she’s “the richest person in the state of Iowa”

 

 

Baby Tumbleweed

11 month old Kyson Stowell was thrown more than 300 feet by the tornado that hit Sumner County, Tennessee, and lived. What’s more incredible is that he may have saved his own life by alerting rescue workers to the fact that he was a real human being and not just one of the many dolls strewn around the muddy field he lay in face down in. Kyson’s Grandmother, Kay Stowell tells Kyson’s story and how his strong family background may have prepared him to survive this deadly tornado.

“Life and weather as one”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

For Photographer Allan Detrich, life and weather are one. In this Tornado Witness Radio interview, Allan talks about his love of storm chasing, severe weather photography, and the very first EF-5 tornado that he and his team MESO survived with long lasting consequences.

 

“Greensburg, Kansas Tornado-You have to turn this into something good”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

As a young girl, EMT and volunteer firefighter Nancy Bose was terrified of severe weather. She started life as a bright, outgoing and chatty child from Allen Park, Michigan, but changed overnight upon seeing her first severe storm. Nancy lived in constant fear of tornados and severe weather until her worst nightmare became a reality. In this crucible, a little voice somewhere inside of her said: “Can we go back?” From that moment, Nancy would make many choices related to severe weather that would change her life, and ultimately put her and her team MESO into ground zero of the first ever EF-5 tornado to hit the United States and the town of Greensburg, Kansas.

 

“Cindy’s pragmatic, Rena thinks she is going to die.”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

Cindy Harris and colleague Rena Morrow were outside the Windsor, Colorado train depot station museum when hail started to hit. Someone’s cell phone rang to announce a tornado was”Cindy’s pragmatic, Rena thinks she is going to die.” coming. Both ladies headed for their cars hoping to make the safety of the old town hall basement. Both of them did not make it in time and met with the full force of the tornado. While bricks from the town hall hit Cindy’s car, being pragmatic she thought who’s going to clean up this mess. Blocks away, Rena Morrow raced through town in a fury of mud and debris dodging falling trees and then hitting one. All the while she though, I’m going to die.

 

“Being Prepared”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

14-year-old Hal Emas survived the tornado that completely destroyed the Little Sioux Scout Ranch, about 40 miles north of Omaha. In this Tornado Witness Radio interview, Hal gives a vivid account of the tornado and how he held onto an iron pipe in order to survive. Hal also talks about the two friends he lost in the tornado, Ben Petrzilka, 14 and Aaron Eilerts. “Be Prepared” is the Boy Scouts motto and Hal was prepared by obtaining a “Emergency Preparedness Badge”, and “First Aid Merit Badge”

 

“Save Lives First, Then Take Cover”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

Peter Ambrose served in both Vietnam and the first Iraq War. In Vietnam he was injured twice and received 2 Purple Hearts. Ambrose said that he was trained to think of others. Rather than take cover in the Atlas E Missile Silo that he tends to, he immediately thought of his neighbors and rushed to warn them of the tornado. A right turn was the only thing that came between him and death. Unfortunately, a fellow veteran that Ambrose tried to save took a wrong turn and became the storm’s only victim. With only moments to spare, Ambrose jumped out of his truck and crawled about 25 feet to the safety of a cinder block bathroom. Ambrose lives in Weld County where tornados are somewhat common, yet there was nothing common about this tornado that came from out of nowhere and gave no warning. Even the tornado itself was unlike any that he had seen before, just a large mass that looked like cotton candy floating around in a drum.

 

 

 

“Here comes the bride…Tornado?”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

 

Soon-to-be-married, Minnie Benson was decorating her Holiday Inn reception hall in Kearney, Nebraska when a two-tornado storm hit the town prompting an already stressful bride to take cover. Extremes in the weather like the Kearney tornado are nothing new to Minnie and her husband Ross Bahensky. In fact, each milestone in their relationship seems to be followed by a major weather event.

 

 

 

 

“Intuition Saved Us From The Storm”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

Jean Bivens and her daughter Kayla have a long history of intuition, or ESP. Perhaps this is the only thing that saved them from the tornado that hit Caruthersville, Missouri on April 2, 2006. Tornado Witness Radio interviewed Kayla Bivens right after the storm in 2006 and in this interview we she how life has changed for her since talking with you over 2 years ago. Also, Kayla gives a vivid description of the tornado and how her boss, Ron Matthew risked his own life to save Kayla and other employees at the Save-A-Lot in Caruthersville. After the tornado and in the dark, Kayla made a treacherous 4 hour journey of less than a mile to find her parents with only the light from her cell phone. Tornado Witness Radio would like to dedicate this episode to Ron Matthew who risked his life to save Kayla and then opened his store to feed the local residents and rescue workers throughout the disaster. Ron died last year and is missed by the Bivens and other of Caruthersville.

 

 

“Atlanta Providential”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

Brainerd Church of Christ Minister Bruce Wooley was among the thousands at the Georgia Dome when an EF-2 tornado hit downtown Atlanta on March 14, 2008 during the Southeastern Conference tournament quarterfinal between Mississippi State and Alabama. “Providential” is the word used by Mr. Wooley to describe the event where Alabama Forward, Mykal Riley hit a 3-pointer with no time left to force overtime, and perhaps save hundreds of lives in the process. In this Tornado Witness Radio interview, Minister Bruce Wooley gives a detailed account of what happened inside the dome during the tornado and also tells of other tornados he has witnessed in his lifetime. We also ask Mr. Wooley about references to tornados in the bible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I Feel Like A Little Lost Dog With No Place To Go”

Tornado Witness Radio Interview by Darrell Kirk

Rosetta Banda lost everything to the tornado, except for her family. Still the pain goes on for her and the other survivors of the town of Lafayette, including the town church that lost its Preacher along with his family in an accident that happened while they gave aid to families displaced by the tornado.