Your Memories: The 1989 Airport Road Tornado

I was 19 & working at Shoney's in Haysland Square that evening.There was only the store manager & another waitress,besides myself,that made it into work & we became swamped with customers due to no power in most of South Huntsville.The wonderful people that came in that evening started to help by becoming waiters & waitresses so everyone could have a safe & warm place to go.After the store closed, the other waitress & I drove down Airport Rd & witnessed the destruction that had taken place.I remember seeing the businesses that had been on that road reduced to rubble in most spots;My grade school,Holy Spirit,in ruins. Remembering November 15, 1989 still brings tears to my eyes,thinking of all the lives that day affected.

I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was a freshman in high school and my dad and I just left our house to go to Wednesday evening services. My mom was already there because she heard the weather reports. My dad and I had just cross through the old airport. As we waited the light to change, I looked to the south and all I saw was dark, black clouds. We had just crossed the Parkway and all of the sudden, we had to stop right before Balmoral Dr. The wind picked up and the rain fell and briefly looked up and saw everything falling around us. I really thought we were going to die. Then the wind stopped and there was this calm around us. We were alive and the only thing that was damaged was the car we were in. Four of the windows blew out in the car, but we were alive. We finally got to church and my mom and I both hugged each other. I truely feel that God saved us from that horrific event and I hope that I never go through that again

I've been following your broadcast on the '89 tornado and just wanted to add another perspective from one who experienced this tragic event.
My son and I were in that tornado, at what was then the Lucky's grocery store, when the tornado struck. I had just left Gates cleaners having picked up my laundry, and stopped at Lucky's to pick up a few things for the evenings supper. While standing in the checkout line, I had noticed how dark it was outside, and the wind was picking up. A few moments later, I felt the air pressure drop significantly, and heard what appeared to be a load roar. At that moment, I knew there was a tornado in the immediate vicinity.(this was my second tornado event)
I immediately grabbed one of the Lucky's employees, and threw him on the floor, and told my son to get everyone in the back of the store down and behind the cold food counter section of the store.
I covered the young man I threw on the floor, and it was at that moment, the roof of Lucky's was being torn off. Seconds later, with no roof on the building, the ceiling tiles began to fall in on us, and after grabbing a flashlight, I could see nothing but rain coming in on us.
I called to my son to see if he was alright and if he needed any help. He told me he was OK, and I told him to help get everyone out of the store, and lets go outside and see if we could help anyone. I found a lady standing the mini-mall parking lot, just outside of Lucky's and assisted her toward arriving medical services. I think Channel 31 video was there, and has a record of that particular moment in time. As I was assisting her toward awaiting rescue elements, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, that a white car was sitting atop the power sub-station at the corner of Airport and Whitesburg Dr. I didn't pay much attention to it, as there was debris everywhere, and I assumed it was from one of the building in the area. Little did I know, there was a person in the car.
A few minutes later, we noticed the cleaners had been leveled, and with some additional flashlights from Lucky's, we headed toward the now leveled cleaners. My son and I climbed on some of the rubble, and after a few minutes, heard someone calling out for help. We started digging down through the roof support members, and located a man, and was able to extract him out. He appeared to be OK.
We were somewhat hesitant digging because of the intense lightning in the area, due to the steel roof support members in the cleaners, and the possibility of getting hit. However, we continued to dig and located a second individual, and extracted them the same way.
A local merchant, Roland Markwalter of Serve and Volley was on site, and I asked him if he could get my son and I a jacket or coat as it was still raining and blowing. The temperature had dropped and we were soaked through our clothes, but we continued to dig through the rubble yelling for anyone. Minutes later, rescue elements starting showing up and we told them what we had accomplished, and advised that we were not sure if there was anyone else in the cleaners.
At that point, we were so cold and wet, we left the area and found a ride home.
I thank the good Lord for sparing my son and I that night. We didn't know the magnitude of this event until the next day's news report, and was shocked at the destructive nature. Of course my vehicle was destroyed as well as my son's, and we felt very fortunate that was the only loss.
Sometimes I look back on this and wished we could have done more to help, but as I mentioned, we were so cold and wet, we didn't want to get in the way of the rescue elements.
Thank you for your time.
R/
Earl Alspach
Laceys Spring, Al

I was at my afterschool care facility at Central School. We took shelter in the principl's office. I remember thinking that it was very unfair that the principal had a TV in his office and that he watched TV while we were in classes.

I worked at the Winn Dixie store at the corner of Whitesburg and Airport but happened to be off that day. I remember being at home in Arab and there was breaking news on CNN that a tornado had struck Huntsville, AL. They didn't say what part of town was hit, but they went to some "raw video" someone had shot inside a grocery store (a film crew just happened to be in the store filming a commercial). When I saw the footage I couldn't believe it. There were my co-workers walking around crying, screaming, some with cuts and blood on their face. I told my parents, "that's my store!" I couldn't get over there until the next day- I think a Thursday. I parked at a co-worker's house up Whitesburg and had to walk to the store-I rememember it was a very cold walk and there were snow flurries. It was a very somber sight. I remember seeing all the cars with orange check marks spray painted on them that told emergency workers they had been checked. Everybody that was at work that day had a story. I remember my manager said at first he thought a car had driven through the front of the store. Nobody knew what had happened. Another co-worker said he remembered grabbing a small child that was being pulled across the store floor by the winds. Another said he was on his way home and was driving over curbs and stuff trying to get out of the way. It is definitely something I will never forget and will be telling my grandkids about one day. My thoughts and prayers go out to those that continue to deal with the loss of their loved ones.