Tornado devastates sister school

Three tornados touched down on and around Union University, Tuesday, Feb. 5. Thirteen students were trapped beneath a collapsed dormitory, and in the hours following, fifty-one students were rushed to the hospital in the hours following the storms departure.

Union is a Southern Baptist School in Jackson, Tenn. with a population of 3,300 students from more than forty states and thirty-five countries.

"My little brother, Jordan, goes to Union," UMHB Alum Nathaniel Russell said. "As soon as I heard the news, I immediately called him. When he didn't answer, I started to get worried."

Jordan Russell's phone had died at some point during that Tuesday evening, and since the electricity had gone out, he had no way of contacting his family.

"I knew there was a storm coming in," Jordan Russell said. "I just didn't have any idea that it was going to be this bad." Russell and his room mate, Austin Clark, fled to Clark's parent's house—a few blocks from the university.

"The first tornado touched down about a hundred yards away from my parent's house," Clark said. "The second one touched down right on the university grounds."

Two dormitories, Watters and Hurt, were completely demolished during the turbulence. Jennings Hall and White Hall, the buildings across from the dorms, suffered severe roof damage.

"I was looking out the window from across campus when the tornado touched down," senior Sean Blakely said. "The whole thing lasted only about ten to fifteen seconds. But of course it felt like forever."

Without assurance that they had seen the last of tornado activity, many students emerged from their make-shift shelters to survey the damage and help in any way they could.

"As soon as the storm cleared, I came back onto campus, and I couldn't believe my eyes," Russell said. "Cars were overturned everywhere—one [car] was actually perched on top of a building—and the dorms [where most of my friends lived] were completely unrecognizable."

In the aftermath of the destruction, thirteen students were trapped in the rubble of Watters dorm.

"When I heard that students were underneath the debris, I thought for sure they were all dead." Russell said.

Over the course of five hours, paramedics, firemen, the Tennessee National Guard, and brave students aided in rescuing those trapped. Danny Song was the first to emerge from the wreckage.

"It's a miracle that I'm not dead," Song said. "A couch flew on top of me shielding me from the falling in roof."

There were no fatalities from the student body in the wake of the level three tornado touchdown. However, there is immense damage to the student's personal effects—let alone the university itself. Most vehicles parked on campus were destroyed and nearly all property left in the dorm rooms is ruined.

In response to this disaster, several businesses have contributed to the student body. McDonald's gives a free combo meal to any Union student showing proper ID. Old Navy is handing out free gift cards to make up for lost clothing.

"When I finally was able to charge my phone back up I had twenty new voice mails," Russell said. "So, I decided it might be a good idea to call my family [and friends] and tell them I was safe."

Union's president, David Dockery, told the media that the earliest date classes would start back is Feb. 18. Many faculty and staff have opened up their homes in the meantime to students who were living in the dorms.

"It's amazing how the university [and community] has come together through this disaster," Blakely said. "Throughout so much loss, we have gained so much."