Editor’s Note: This is a special republication of our 10-year anniversary edition of the 1999 tornado titled “Celebrating Restoration.”

 

A personal account by Barbara Phillips

My memories of the 1999 tornado include the devastating damages throughout the path of the tornado, in Clarksville and on the APSU campus; the destruction of many buildings; the loss of belongings by students, faculty and staff; the destruction all over the campus; and all the emotions expressing the losses and destruction.

On the other hand, I saw many positive results of the tornado — the quick response of the Residence Life staff to the tornado predictions; the many students, staff, faculty and local residents who assisted in the clean-up process and helping to feed people who were living and working there.

The many students who collected personal items, books and supplies and then distributed them to those who lost their belongings in the tornado; the entire staff of Student Affairs, who spent numerous hours helping students to relocate temporarily to local hotels, responding to family members who wanted to know that their children were safe, assisting students in their adjustment to the many changes to class locations for the semester because of the closing of several buildings, and their constant support to those who were suffering emotionally from all the loss and destruction.

What memories!