11 years ago today (Fort Worth tornado)

[TCU2002]

The funny thing about that day is that it started out amazingly sunny and beautiful.

It was so clear out that my Dad, who was flying from Austin to Chicago that morning, had called to say what a fantastic view he had of Ft. Worth from his plane window. Was able to pick out campus, Hulen Mall, etc from 35,000 feet up.

It was still sunny when I went into Ed Landreth for band rehearsal at 3:30pm. At 5:30, things were looking funky as we walked from Ed Landreth to the Main for dinner. Before we were done with dinner, everyone was told to move to the student center basement. We were down there for a half hour or so. I felt perfectly safe down there, but wondered if the campus would be there when we came back upstairs.

 

[joejordan]

Was in Sex Ed class in the basement of the Rickell. We had no idea what was going on and were probably in one of the safest spot on campus. Surreal to walk out and see the green color of the sky after class.

Dang Shiner, you're younger than I thought. Unless Mrs. Shiner enrolled you as a LOTAS!!

 

[satis1103]

Was at work, which at that time was the Hulen Olive Garden. I was young and dumb at the time, and before the tornados hit everyone was freaking out but I was like "ain't no tornados gonna do [Craig James]." Never felt so on the wrong side of karma before or since then.

 

[SAT Frog]

Wow, I can't believe that it was 11 years ago!!!! Where has the time gone. I remember the day clearly, which started out beautiful and then the Spring thunderstorms started rolling in. I lived at the Reserve at Oak Hills apartments, as did a bunch of my fraternity brothers. We had gathered at one of the large apartments before evening classes ( I believe it was a Tuesday). Anyhow, I heard the first siren go off, which for a guy from San Antonio was a very bad sign. I had heard them over the last couple of years when they would test the sirens annually, but never during a storm. Anyhow, a couple of the guys were from Kansas and said not to worry till the second alarm goes off. Well that happened not to many minutes later and you could hear the sound of a freight train. The skies were really yellow and we looked out towards downtown and watched the tornado march through downtown. I had another friend that worked at Chicotsky's Liquor store at 7th and Cliffton. He told me that he watch the tornado come right at the shopping center, it just missed him and took out the stores at the end of the shopping center. He said he thought it was going to take his truck, as the winds actually lifted it off the ground a few times. Anyhow, once the tornado came through, TCU canceled the evening classes and we went out and played football in the rain. It was a blast!!
The resulting damage was horrible to downtown. I remember how glass fell for weeks afterwards. The most ironic thing I remember was the use of Tarrant County inmates to help recover the documents blown out of the FBI offices, I just couldn't help laughing at the pictures of them picking up confidential paperwork. For those of you that were around at the time, you will remember the old Bank One Building ( now renovated into a condo building ), it took a direct hit from the tornado and was twisted about 1/4". The building was vacant for many years as they tried to determine if it was still structurally sound. Reata restaurant was located on the 35th floor at the time and they had these signature cattle-hide chairs. I remember one was found in West Arlington after the tornando, which gives you an idea how powerful this thing was. Crazy memories.

 

[NubomTurk]

Hanging out with my girlfriend in NW Fort Worth. Something must've affected her judgement; she married me a year later.

Afterwards, it looked like the tornado was moving on a straight line toward First United Methodist downtown, then veered south at the last minute. First Methodist only lost one stained glass window.

If I recall correctly, the following Sunday, Dr. Day walked to the pulpit for his sermon with a noticeable strut.

My sister's law office was on the 23rd floor of the old Bank One tower. One of her associates had a mangy old stuffed hawk or something that she had inherited from her dad. The tornado broke the windows and that hawk took its final flight in a blaze of glory. Wish I could have seen that...

 

[txfrog87]

Driving west on Seventh out of downtown when I saw it on the ground in front of me. I made a u-turn back into downtown and into a parking garage at Fifth and Houston just before it hit the Bank One building. We couuld see desks and furniture flying from the towers above crashing around us. We were trapped in the garage for awhile as we could hear glass shattering on the sidewalk and street after it fell from the buildings around us. Finally we went down to the bar at the old Houston Street mall and used their landline phone to call out. All the cell towers in downtown had been damaged. One of the scariest momments in my lfe.

 

[jeremyjack22]

Dang Shiner, you're younger than I thought. Unless Mrs. Shiner enrolled you as a LOTAS!!

Different Shiner Frog. Dont know how to change my name so people dont confuse the real ShinerFrog with me.

 

[BeltwayFrog]

Delivering pizzas for Perotti's. I remember the greenish sky right before the storm hit and rain that was so strong you couldn't see across the street and wind so strong that you could barely get the front or back doors of Perotti's open.

We stayed open and I continued to deliver pizzas all night. The bright side- folks were so impressed/happy to have us out delivering that the tips were awesome!

 

[SAT Frog]

For those that don't remember, or were not in Fort Worth, here is the Cash America Building, where the FBI Offices were.

 

[researchfrog]

Different Shiner Frog. Dont know how to change my name so people dont confuse the real ShinerFrog with me.

Ask Matthew or TxFrog1999.

 

[Armadillo]

I was 28 years old and I lived on W. 5th Street and Monticello. I had just finished up a round of chemotherapy and was so sick that my folks in Austin had to come pick me up and drive me back to Austin to care for me for a week. It was during that week that the tornado touched down. 7th St Theater was gone, but very little else in that neighborhood was severely damaged.

 

[byronalvarado88@yahoo.com]

Can't believe at has been 11 years since the tornado. And I would have never guessed it happened in March. Most bad storms in Fort Worth seem to have taken place in May. I was home with the wife (near Colonial) and was watching Finfrock on Channel 5. Bless the 4(?) people and their families who lost their lives in that tornado.

 

[Goodnight]

I was 12 years old at an indoor batting cage by Loop 820 and Trinity Blvd. hitting balls when everyone started to gather outside to see the tornado.

What I don't get is how on video footage of the tornado, it still looks like the sun is up and its light outside, but from what I remember it was pretty much pitch black skies except the tornado which was even more pitch black which is how we could see it.

 

[fdub]

I probably win the furthest away award-- Minsk, Byelarus.

 

[JumpinFrog]

The Reserve at Stonegate, drinking.

and pulling some tubes

 

[HFrog1999]

I left work early in Arlington (lucky since it crossed my normal route home) and watched it hit downtown from the balcony of my Cityview Apartment. I saw a weird cloud movement right above my head when the tornado touched down. A small cloud did a strange vertical rotation.

 

[Frogs97]

I was in El Paso visiting my grandparents. My knees buckled when my mom called frantic saying there was a tornado in Fort Worth, and no one could reach my new bride. She was in Granbury at a booster club meeting.