Long after the tornado receded and the rubble settled, the April 27 tornado continued to tear through people’s hearts and minds. Many students and residents affected by the tornado have dealt with ongoing psychological and emotional injuries as physical wounds have healed. “The stress, the anxiety, a lot of grief and loss issues can culminate in affecting a person’s mental [...]

Doug Wedgeworth is no stranger at the Tuscaloosa Housing Authority. He walks through the double doors, tips his blue cap to the receptionist who greets him by name and hands him a visitors’ pass, then, without having to ask permission, confidently strides into the first floor meeting room. On the conference table he places a two-inch-thick Tuscaloosa Forward binder, and [...]

David Bayode and his two boys, Dontydrick and Devaris, lost their wife and mother, Jennifer, their Crescent Lane home and trucks from a 15-year old ice cream business. All suffered from serious injuries. In the tornado’s immediate aftermath, Amy Echols met with the Bayode family and felt compelled to put forth all her heart, effort and abilities as a local [...]

When tornadoes ripped through Dallas, Texas, on April 3, Darlene Harrison and her husband David knew they needed to find shelter. Their home didn’t have a basement, so they raced with their dog through the wind, rain and hail to a neighbor’s house. Darlene Harrison could only think of one thing as they bolted for safety: This is what Ashley [...]

Throughout history, towns affected by tornadoes have rebuilt from among the rubble. Tuscaloosa now faces the same task of redevelopment and can draw from the past for hints to the future. “By looking at other towns, you have a chance to develop another way of viewing your city and its traditions,” Lisa Lindquist Dorr, associate professor of history at the [...]