by Bo Black

“Don’t go… I’ve got a gut feeling.” These were the text messages I sent to my girlfriend Jessica at 2:51 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27. We both decided not to go to class thinking the bad weather to come would likely cause us to be stuck on campus for some time. Instead we both stayed at her apartment just off 12th Street.

We would later find out it would be a day none of us would likely ever forget.

It was around 3:45 p.m. when we headed out to Smoothie King on 15th Street. When we got there, one of the workers was sitting outside. He told us that power was knocked out from the storm early that morning, so instead of getting a smoothie, we went to a store to pick up snacks in case we were left without power as well.

After that, we went back to the apartment and turned the television on to keep track of the weather. I’m usually pretty calm when it comes to weather, but this time I was more anxious. Why? I’m not sure.

We watched, like many others, the tornado coming toward Tuscaloosa on ABC 33/40. My nerves were in overdrive at this point. My mother called and you could hear the uneasiness in her voice as she instructed me to “get down stairs now!”

She knew we were on the second floor in an apartment. Then the power went out.

About a minute later, Jessica and I both sprinted outside, down the stairs and across the street to someone’s apartment below. At that moment the massive tornado could be seen overhead barreling through downtown. The only thing separating us was three streets – not much for a tornado that looked like it could swallow anything it wanted.

Before we could really understand what we had seen, it was gone. Silence filled the air. It seemed so strange, so calm. We were lucky.

Sadly, others were not. I’m not sure what happened to the guy working at Smoothie King. After seeing pictures the next day of what was Smoothie King, I can only hope he is okay.

Now, three days later, I thought of something powerful after hearing about all of those who have donated and volunteered. “It’s often our darkest moment that provides our brightest hour.”

We all need to remember that as we lend a helping hand to others during the days and months ahead. It will take a lot of time, a lot of sweat, a lot of tears before our town will be what it once was, but it will be done. Tuscaloosa will be what it once was and then some.

Bo Black is a junior majoring in journalism with a minor in psychology.