You know that whopper of an EF-5 tornado that ripped up 25% of Joplin, killed approximately 120 people, and injured approximately 800 with approximately 1500 still missing? All my children live there. My boys, my daughter, my son-in-law, my daughter-in-law, and Tee and Bee.
My youngest son, Alec, worked at the Walmart that is now completely gone. He was at work. And I don't know how he got out of there alive.
This is the second tornado Alec has been in. The first was the EF-3 that hit Carl Junction, Missouri in May 2003. In that one, the houses on either side of us and all the houses across the street were demolished. All I had was a broken window and a totaled car.
After that tornado, in which everyone in the house ignored me and thought I was just being dramatic about the weather, we don't ignore weather anymore. We don't ignore warnings, watches, or sirens. The threat is real. And even if the threat does pan out as non-existent, is it really worth your life to take a chance?
Please don't ignore weather warnings and please please please make sure...absolutely sure...that you hug your family and friends at every opportunity and let them know you love them. Don't take moments for granted because you just can't ever ever get them back.
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