One of my favorite parts of the ABC 33/40 Weather Blog is J.B. Elliott’s “Weather By The Numbersâ€.
Looking back at my career in meteorology, which goes back to 1978, the numbers that will always stand out in my mind are the number of people who lost their life during severe weather and tornado outbreaks in Alabama. For example, 34 people died the night of April 8, 1998; 32 of those deaths were from the massive F5 in Jefferson County and western suburbs of Birmingham; two more died from a smaller tornado that dropped from the same parent thunderstorm in St. Clair County, near Wattsville. The number 34 itself really doesn’t have much meaning, but it means everything when you learn about those 34 people who died almost nine years ago. They were neighbors, moms, dads, people that you go to church with, and just good people. These people lived in places like Rock Creek, Oak Grove, Sylvan Springs, Pratt City, Edgewater, and McDonald Chapel.
The real defining moment of that tragedy was the funeral of the 34th storm victim; Nathan Seals. Nathan was only 8 years old; a student at North Highland Elementary School in Hueytown. Nathan held on to his life for a couple of weeks at the Children’s Hospital, and for some reason God called him home. At the funeral, which was at the old Metropolitan Church of God campus on Columbiana Road, the family entered the service flanked by paramedics, because they were still recovering from their wounds, which were serious.
I became friends with Nathan’s father, Matthew Seals. To this day we meet and discuss spiritual issues. I firmly believed that God put me in his life to encourage him; he lost his son, and his ability to walk (he is now paralyzed from the waist down). But, the truth is that God put him in my life to encourage me. We all know that another tornado outbreak is just a matter of time; and to honor Nathan and Matthew, we all must work hard to get ready so we won’t have to report 34 deaths next time. That is why this week, the annual Severe Weather Awareness Week in Alabama, is so important. Get a NOAA Weather Radio receiver, and develop a safety plan for your family. Forget the sirens.
Take some time to read Matthew’s story on his web site here. Click on the link on the left part of the page that says “My story…”. It is a story everyone needs to read.
