<p>D just called me after the mail came. This week’s SI cover is all about the tornadoes in Alabama, with a large focus on the student athletes who were affected. Title: The Spirit of Alabama. If you look at the website: [Breaking</a> news, real-time scores and daily analysis from Sports Illustrated SI.com](<a href=“http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/]Breaking”>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/) you can see some of the stories along with additional video. SI is also having an auction to benefit tornado victims.</p>
<p>Very emotional reading. I knew before reading that Ashley never made it, but it was still tough reading. And the part with the mother wanting the white dress to bury her daughter in certainly put a lump in my throat.</p>
<p>Here’s the article in case anyone wants to read it.
[On</a> April 27 the most devastating tornado - 05.23.11 - SI Vault](<a href=“http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1186008/1/index.htm]On”>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1186008/1/index.htm)</p>
<p>Very sad stories… </p>
<p>I think it’s odd that SI put Javier’s address in the article. very odd!</p>
<p>but, it’s nice to see that he lives in T-town during the off-season.</p>
<p>Oh my gosh, that was a difficult read. I think they really captured the spirit of the Bama athletic family.</p>
<p>Does anyone know when the issues will be on the stands? It’s going to be hard to get here in Alabama.</p>
<p>Hmmmm, I don’t know. The subscription copy arrived here today. I’ll keep my eyes open at the stores…</p>
<p>One of my son’s friends posted the link to the story a couple of nights ago. It is an excellent piece of sports journalism, and it does move one to tears.</p>
<p>
For example (about baseball players) … </p>
<p>"The next day Rosecrans and Kennedy walked to the house of teammate Jon Kelton, who lived less than two miles away. Several oak trees more than 150 years old and 70 feet tall were strewn across his yard, but Kelton was uninjured. As the hours passed, more baseball players arrived at Kelton’s damaged houst, all helping to remove the debris.</p>
<p>Three other towering oaks had fallen on the house across the street from Kelton’s, killing the three students inside. With nearly the entire Alabama baseball team standing in Kelton’s yard, the family of a female victim arrived.</p>
<p>Kelton approached, offering condolences. “Is there anything we can help you find in the house?” he asked.</p>
<p>“There is a white dress that we’d like to have”, the mother, choking back tears, told Kelton, “We’d like to bury her in it. Could you help us find it?”</p>
<p>The 15 baseball players formed a line that stretched the from the remains of the house to the street, picking up garments, books - anything salvageable - and then handing it down the line and giving it to the parents. Minutes laster Nathan Kilcrease, a pitcher, pulled out the white dress. He gave it to the woman’s mother."</p>
<p>reading this makes April 27th even more real to me…and make me realize anew how close the tornedo could’ve come to the actual Univ of Alabama dorms where the students were told to come and “wait it out”. </p>
<p>It makes me wonder if the tornedo had came 1/2 mile closer to those dorms where daughter Kari and other students were waiting it out, would the brick buildings had been destroyed, or would the building still stand?</p>
<p>I think Tutweiler and some of the older dorms and campus buildings would have been ok with the exception of some roof damage and windows being blown out. </p>
<p>However I think the new dorms would have been ripped to shreds if they were hit directly. </p>
<p>Thankfully it didn’t happen and hopefully it never will. Though I imagine the first tornado watch or warning next school year will have everyones attention.</p>
<p>I know that Ridgecrest South was built to tornado standards (it has a steel structure) as it is over 4 stories tall. I believe that the other Ridgecrests also have a steel structure despite being only 4 stories tall. Due to the temporary nature of the Riverside Dorms (they were designed with the expectation that they would be paid for in 10 years and demolished after 15-20 years,) they have only 4 stories so that they could be built using a less expensive wooden structure and not have to conform with the more stringent Tornado standards for buildings 5+ stories tall.</p>
<p>*would the brick buildings had been destroyed, or would the building still stand? *</p>
<p>As you can see from the pic of the gymnast, the brick buildings did quite well.</p>
<p>No, I do NOT think that the newer dorms would have been ripped to shreds. That’s highly unlikely. They are brick, and the kids would have been told to go to the lower floors. If anything, the top floor would have sustained damage, but certainly not the lower floors. </p>
<p>Brick buildings do quite well in tornadoes. When walking along 15th Street the day after the tornadoes, there would be destruction, then a OK brick building, destruction, then a brick building, etc.</p>
<p>Charleston Square (the old Fontainbleu)was a brick complex and it was decimated. </p>
<p>I just don’t think some of the newer dorms like riverside & lakeside were built to last. </p>
<p>That isn’t to say anybody in there would have died. Just that I think they’d suffer major structural damage if hit head on, moreso than some of the older buildings that in my opinion were built better.</p>
<p>I just finished reading the article. Tears rolled down my face from beginning to end and I had to pause several times. Coach Grant’s comment that if the University took a direct hit, “this place would have been shut down for several years” hit me hard and left me wondering what we would have done. Clearly, the University was spared because it “will play a special role in rebuilding it (Tuscaloosa), brick by brick, life by life.”</p>
<p>While I have been to Tuscaloosa but once, I have never felt more connected to a town and its University. Furthermore, I have never felt better about my son’s decision to attend the University of Alabama.</p>
<p>Roll Tide.</p>
<p>^ ditto MABama - you said it perfectly. Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Very moving article…the two page spread photo really brings home the devastation.</p>
<p>I met many people while I was in Tuscaloosa and was truly inspired by their strength and courage. Everyone was willing to help and all were hopeful that together they could rebuild what was lost.</p>
<p>I couldn’t believe the part about the gymnast finding that large piece of glass in her sports bra. she’s so lucky that it didn’t cut her chest. She did get cut on her leg. I can’t imagine how frightened she must have been stuck outside while the tornado passed.</p>
<p>I cried when I read the article and then I prayed.</p>
<p>If anyone can’t find a copy of the magazine and wants one, esp those in the alabama area . . and if you are willing to pay for the magazine and postage, I can buy one for you and mail it to you. </p>
<p>Just let me know on this thread or PM me.</p>
<p>^ great idea … someone can have my copy if they PM their address to me</p>