Each tornado event we cover is tragic. Someone has lost a family member or friend. Towns are devastated. Some never recover. There are also stories of heroism, community, and hope. Today’s event was one I hadn’t heard of before: The Saragosa, TX F4, May 22, 1987. As I began to read the devastating stories surrounding this event, my heart was immediately broken.
This tornado traveled only 3 miles and hit the town of Saragosa head on. 85% of this community was destroyed. There were 30 fatalities, 22 of which were in one location: Saragosa Hall.
The population of Saragosa in 1987 was 185. But that night, there were many more in town for a special occasion. Families had joined together for a graduation ceremony for Head Start four-year-olds. From an article in NewsWest9.com, no-one knew that a massive multi-vortex tornado was heading right toward them until a parent went outside and saw it. Many tried to take cover under tables. Parents shielded their children from flying debris. The community hall was flattened. Most of those who died were parents or grandparents of the Head Start four-year-olds. None of the Head Start children died. There were several babies, a year old or younger who also died in Saragosa Hall.
Eight more fatalities occurred outside of the community center: Four were in mobile homes, three were in frame houses and another died trying to outrun the tornado in an automobile.
In the midst of this unbelievable tragedy, the community of Saragosa with the help of volunteers, rebuilt the town by the early 90s. The population in 2000 was 185. Each year, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church holds a mass for the victims.
In a Radio Address to the Nation on Voluntarism and the Supreme Court Nomination of Robert H. Bork on October 3, 1987, President Reagan said the following about the people of Saragosa and the communities that helped them rebuild: “Many believed that spring tornado would make a ghost town of Saragosa, but this past Labor Day, a private sector initiative proved the doomsayers wrong. Over the holiday weekend, 700 volunteers from all over our country, with mostly donated materials, built 15 new homes in a single weekend, and plans are underway for even more. Today the townspeople and volunteers join together to celebrate this fine example of the great American spirit of neighbor helping neighbor. On behalf of all Americans, I join in commending this noble effort.”
0 Comments