The bronze gentleman at the right is Titus Bronson, founder of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
He stands guard in the downtown park named for him among what used to be large, majestic trees, now reduced to a pile of splinters.
Bronson Park was one of many casualties of the tornado that swept through Kalamazoo in May 1980.
Yesterday, Illinois saw several such tornadoes. So far the death count is at six. Washington, a little town near Peoria seems to have been the hardest hit.
My neighborhood was lucky on that May afternoon 30+ years ago. We only lost some branches, but others were not so lucky. Having seen what a tornado can do up close, I know I never want to see it again.
The initial shock of seeing everything you own blown away in a matter of seconds is bad enough. The aftermath of homelessness, rebuilding, and questioning why is much worse. Please pray for those affected by this terrible storm! You can also contact the American Red Cross to make a donation.
