Terrifying video from inside yesterday’s killer tornado in Joplin
May 23, 2011 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Watch this harrowing video taken by one of a group of people, most likely strangers to each other, as this appears to have been filmed inside a convenience store or a fast-food restaurant. They were taking shelter from the approaching tornado which leveled a huge swath of Joplin, Missouri.
Huddled in the still-daytime darkness, waiting for the twister to either pass them by or plow into them, you can hear their fears go from bad to worse to extreme. There’s virtually no light, but you don’t need to see them to understand what they went through. Children crying, men calling out directions and encouragement, and at least one woman shouting “Heavenly Father!” and “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” as the terrified group wait to see if they will live or die. One man calls out in the darkness, “I love everyone.”
Preliminary news reports say that at least 89 people were killed in Joplin when the tornado struck at about 6:00 p.m. Watching this video made me wonder what I would say or do if I were in that terrible situation, with a violent death possibly moments away. What do you think you would do?
Joplin had a bad one, years ago. I can’t remember when it was. I have a 2nd cousin that lived just north of where this went through. Please pray for all who go through these disasters, and help with whatever you can. We had a small town that got hit on Saturday, in the county east of us, that had one fatality. God be with all who go through these!
I would give everyone a general absolution.
I don’t have to wonder. I know. In 1966 a huge tornado hit Topeka KS. It came within 2 blocks of me. I hid in a closet (no basement) with my little children and said “it’s coming, it’s comming” I did not remain calm.
I know what I would say “Lord Jesus have Mercy”.