CALGARY- The deadly aftermath of a tornado in Oklahoma has brought back tough memories for the survivors of the Pine Lake twister, which struck nearly 13 years ago.
12 people died that day back in 2000, after a tornado struck a campground called Green Acres near Red Deer.
Innisfail’s Wally Simpson was there that fateful day, and recalls being in the eye of the storm.
“I had my arm around the hitch of the trailer. I was holding on, squatted down and it started to move and I had to walk with it,” he remembers. “There was a horrific crashing noise then all of a sudden it went quiet and that’s when we were in the eye of the storm.
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“And I looked around and I looked up and I thought ‘Ooh, I’m just going to stay here,’ and bang, the other half caught us and you could just see trailers start blowing up.”
Simpson says he’s been drawn to coverage of the devastation in Oklahoma, but admits he can be overwhelmed by the images.
“It brings back a lot of memories that are not pleasant.”
He adds that there’s always a fear that it could happen again.
“When the wind starts to blow…just that feeling of dread, hoping it doesn’t happen again.”
After coming to terms with the devastation in Pine Lake, Simpson says he has a new outlook.
“I became calmer more at peace knowing I conquered that survived something cataclysmic.”
The campground is also an example of resiliency. Green Acres has since been rebuilt and is now a thriving private community.
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