08/18/2026
Last night, my husband came home late from our neighborhood and told me how eerily dark and silent it was—street after street without the warm glow of house lights since the tornado.
This morning, I woke from a terrifying nightmare. In my dream, a giant tree was falling onto my in-laws’ house, where we are staying while our own home remains unlivable. I remember desperately looking around, not knowing where I could possibly hide or where would be safe.
For just a moment, I felt the fear that so many people must have experienced while they were inside their homes as the tornado struck—the confusion, the helplessness, and the sound of everything breaking around them.
The damage is heartbreaking, and the fear does not disappear when the storm ends. Still, through all of this, I feel incredibly grateful that no lives were lost. Homes can be repaired and trees can grow again, but every person who survived is truly a blessing.
