Moment in Time
Today's date will forever hold a special meaning for me. 29 years ago today, I lived through an experience that had a great impact on my life. Anyone who was present will never forget it either. I'm referring to the Lawton, OK-Wichita Falls, TX tornadoes. To this day it is still 'Terrible Tuesday.' It was every bit of that and more. I was the newly appointed Operations Manager of KLAW in Lawton, OK. I had been on the job for 8 days. This station was woefully under equipped for the events of that day; however, I cannot commend my makeshift staff enough for their unselfish efforts in making a difference in an untold number of lives. The day was cloudy and oppressively muggy the whole day. Around 3:30 that afternoon we received word that Vernon, TX had been hit by a super cell and by all indications, it was coming our way. By 5 o'clock the tornado cell was upon us and ripped through the SSW portion of the city and exited out the east side killing 3 people.
An hour later, a behemoth of a storm, a cell that would dwarf the Lawton twister tore through Wichita Falls, killing 46 people. It rolled over Memorial Stadium on Southwest Parkway and headed on toward several neighborhoods, leveling 'Faith Village', a neighborhood filled with small houses built shortly after WWII. The funnel was at least a half mile wide and stayed on the ground uninterrupted for at least 6 miles. It ripped a path on toward Sikes Center Mall grazing Midwestern University later playing itself out some 47 miles later near Waurika, OK. It made 20% of the town of roughly 100,000 uninhabitable. There were 20,000 people who found themselves instantly homeless.
My radio station was owned by the operators of KVET/KASE in Austin, TX and they sent me to Wichita Falls about 40 miles south of us to get some audio from witnesses and officials. After getting my media credentials, I walked through several neighborhoods both in Lawton and in Wichita Falls. The only way I can describe what I saw was that it was a physical experience for me. I had never seen anything like it in my life. This was the embodiment of total destruction. I literally wanted to vomit. I stood in these neighborhoods and saw people still walking around stunned by their surroundings. I felt horrible for just being there. These people had lost everything. I had lost nothing. I was actually ashamed to be there doing my job. Tornadoes have a way of taking life out of context. We all learn through association. Tornadoes put things together in such a way that although you see it, your mind has great difficulty accepting what it sees.
The experience had a huge impact on me. I was determined from that moment on. Any radio station I ran would make a absolute commitment to weather coverage. As I stated in my book, Texas In Her Own Words, the weather in Texas runs between the serene and the majestically violent. I know that for a fact. I saw it myself--first hand. I still think back to that time every year on this date. I think about all those people that died that day in two states. I also remember how the experience changed me for forever. I'll take those events with me to the grave. As a result, Lawton and Wichita Falls will always hold a special place in my heart. I could tell you many stories about what happened, when it happened and the people involved. If you want to know more, contact me through my email, Tweed@TweedScott.com and I'd be happy to share with you. In the meantime, take care of your precious selves.