Haunting Retelling Of Javier Arenas’ Tuscaloosa Tornado Story

We told you last week that Kansas City Chiefs CB Javier Arenas was in his home in Tuscaloosa when the tornado ripped through the town destroying homes and taking lives. Arenas survived the storm by taking cover in his bathtub.

Arenas emerged from his storm to find most of his neighborhood destroyed. The Chiefs CB is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated and there is a quote inside the issue that gives a little more incite into what Arenas experienced after he left his home.

From SI’s Lars Anderson:

"Arenas prayed in his bathtub. Please God, let it be over. Please let it be over… . And then it was. The tornado passed. Arenas, his heart jackhammering, walked outside. Several houses in his neighborhood were flattened. A few women ran down his street screaming. He meandered, as if in a dreamlike fog, to his favorite place on 15th Street, a Smoothie King, where he had always stopped after his workouts. The building looked as if a fist from the sky had reached down and smashed it. But as he walked closer to where the Smoothie King had stood 10 minutes earlier, he heard two women buried in the store’s rubble, begging to be rescued. As Arenas drew closer to help, he was overcome by the noxious smell of gas. He ran to a fireman, told him of the women, and within minutes they were pulled to safety."

Wow. I can’t imagine going through something like that. Once again, our thoughts go out to all those affected by the storms.

Arenas drove to Kansas City following the storm to bring back supplies to those in need. If you want to help, you can make a donation to one of my favorite charities, the American Red Cross at this link.