Forty years ago, on this date, Louisville, Kentucky was struck by a very destructive F3 tornado that took a long path south of the downtown area.  It was after school and I was coaching girls track at that time.  I notice the sky getting very dark and foreboding and decided to stop track practice and send the girls home.  After making sure they had transportation I went back into the building just in time to hear the principal announce that there was a tornado in the area and for all people to abandon the building and go home.

If you are familiar with the structure of Seneca High School, you will know that the building is made up of  thick steel reinforced, concrete, exterior walls.  In other words, a bomb shelter.  Short of being in a cave, there are few places safer than in that building.  Bad call on that one Mr Principle.

I really wasn't any better.  I decided I needed to get home to take care my family.  I drove home to J-town scanning the skies along the way, which crossed the path that the tornado had taken.  There was no damage at that point and so I was unaware.  I came screeching into my driveway and my wife and two children were in the front yard.  I jumped out of the car and Vivian said, "Are you crazy, you could have been killed.  There's a tornado in the area."  So much for the conquering hero bit.  My heart goes out to the family who suffered the lose of property and worse, the lose of a family member or loved one.