HUNTSVILLE, AL -
Sunday, November 15, 2009 marks a day in Huntsville history that no one will soon forget: the tornado of 1989.
The deadliest tornado in Madison County history left behind a devastating path of destruction. It cost 23 people their lives that November night as the tornado touched down carving a deadly path all the way from Redstone Arsenal to Jones Valley.
The heart of the damage was in the Airport Road area.
November 15, 1989 wasn't just about loss. It was about surviving.
WHNT NEWS 19 shares one survivor's story of Tornado '89, then and now.
"I really better do something. This is real," said Eugene Lawson.
Eugene Lawson is a survivor. He was born in January of 1937, but remembers November 15, 1989 as his second birthday.
Lawson worked as a physicist at Teledyne-Brown back then.
Now, he is taking a look back at a day that changed his life forever.
"Well, this is part that I did not see. This is what I really didn't experience," added Lawson.
Lawson says he was on his home from work when the tornado hit. Before he knew it, he was driving right in the storm's path. It was the last trip in his Honda Accord Hatchback.
Lawson believes his car rolled, skidded, or even flew half a mile away.
"I have no idea how it got there. I didn't file a flight plan," added Lawson.
Lawson found himself in a tunnel of noise surrounded by broken glass.
"I remember being cold. Everyone told me it started snowing," added Lawson.
Lawson takes them at their word since he has no memory of the tornado itself, but does remember giving comfort to someone else that day.
"He was moaning pretty bad. I told him don't worry, you're going to be okay, and I had no idea what I was talking about," added Lawson.
The survivor made it through the storm, but it was a long road to recovery.
Doctors stitched his scalp, and did surgeries on his brain, and neck.
"Apparently, every time a nurse would come up to me, I would ask them to call my telephone," added Lawson.
He wanted them to call his wife since he never made it home from work. Lawson is not sure who made that call, but knows dialing the number was not hard.
"The nurse came in, and said hello Mister. I memorized your phone number," added Lawson.
November 15, 1989 was a day that changed Eugene Lawson forever.
"There were valuable lessons learned out of it, but it was a heck of a price tag to pay," added Lawson.
Even living through a tornado, lukemia, and cancer; Eugene lawson says he is looking forward to celebrating his "20th birthday" on Sunday, November 15, 2009.
The deadliest tornado in Madison County history left behind a devastating path of destruction. It cost 23 people their lives that November night as the tornado touched down carving a deadly path all the way from Redstone Arsenal to Jones Valley.
The heart of the damage was in the Airport Road area.
November 15, 1989 wasn't just about loss. It was about surviving.
WHNT NEWS 19 shares one survivor's story of Tornado '89, then and now.
"I really better do something. This is real," said Eugene Lawson.
Eugene Lawson is a survivor. He was born in January of 1937, but remembers November 15, 1989 as his second birthday.
Lawson worked as a physicist at Teledyne-Brown back then.
Now, he is taking a look back at a day that changed his life forever.
"Well, this is part that I did not see. This is what I really didn't experience," added Lawson.
Lawson says he was on his home from work when the tornado hit. Before he knew it, he was driving right in the storm's path. It was the last trip in his Honda Accord Hatchback.
Lawson believes his car rolled, skidded, or even flew half a mile away.
"I have no idea how it got there. I didn't file a flight plan," added Lawson.
Lawson found himself in a tunnel of noise surrounded by broken glass.
"I remember being cold. Everyone told me it started snowing," added Lawson.
Lawson takes them at their word since he has no memory of the tornado itself, but does remember giving comfort to someone else that day.
"He was moaning pretty bad. I told him don't worry, you're going to be okay, and I had no idea what I was talking about," added Lawson.
The survivor made it through the storm, but it was a long road to recovery.
Doctors stitched his scalp, and did surgeries on his brain, and neck.
"Apparently, every time a nurse would come up to me, I would ask them to call my telephone," added Lawson.
He wanted them to call his wife since he never made it home from work. Lawson is not sure who made that call, but knows dialing the number was not hard.
"The nurse came in, and said hello Mister. I memorized your phone number," added Lawson.
November 15, 1989 was a day that changed Eugene Lawson forever.
"There were valuable lessons learned out of it, but it was a heck of a price tag to pay," added Lawson.
Even living through a tornado, lukemia, and cancer; Eugene lawson says he is looking forward to celebrating his "20th birthday" on Sunday, November 15, 2009.
