It was a typical hot and humid afternoon with clear skies at 7:35 p.m. Thursday when phones across town began buzzing with an emergency alert from the National Weather Service that stated “Severe Thunderstorm Warning in effect for this area until 8:30 p.m. for destructive baseball size hail. Take shelter in a sturdy building, away from windows. People and animals outdoors will be severely injured.” Within ten minutes, the violent storm tore through the city. To add to the panic, a Tornado Warning was issued at 8:22 p.m., and residents across town – at least those willing to heed the warning – hunkered down in the innermost room of their homes and awaited an uncertain future.