2008 Woodie Awards
Spiking tragedy
Mike Brownlee - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 6/11/08 Section: Sports
The facts from the tragedy that a tornado wrought on the Parkersburg area on May 25 have been reported - seven people dead, more than 70 injured, more than 400 homes damaged, countless people displaced, the high school wiped out. That news has been replaced by more weather-related dispatches, as the Midwest and Iowa City-area has been hit by torrential downpours and flooding.
Two weeks after the tornado in the small town to the north, however, the emotions- disbelief, shock, sorrow, empathy, and more - are as raw as ever for a pair of Iowa volleyball players who grew up in the area.
Middle blocker Becky Walters and outside hitter Megan Schipper played volleyball together at Aplington-Parkersburg High School. Walters grew up in Parkersburg, and Schipper grew up in Aplington.
Walters, who was in Vermillion, S.D., with her family, said she was sitting outside when her mother came out to tell her that a tornado had ripped through Parkersburg, taking out everything in its path.
"I said, 'Nah, no way.' I couldn't believe it," the 20-year-old said.
When her family returned to town, she said, she didn't know what street to turn on to get to her house.
"I usually go off houses, markers. There was nothing to go off," Walters said. "I can't even explain it. You grow up in a town for your whole life, then get there and don't recognize it."
Schipper, also 20, was in Clear Lake that day when reports began trickling in.
"My initial reaction was, 'Everyone's overreacting, it's not that bad,' " she said. "Until we saw it, we thought everything was an exaggeration and it couldn't possibly be that bad."
But when the Schipper family returned home, they saw the destruction. Megan Schipper said she spent most of that day helping family members who lived in Parkersburg clean up.
The tornado steered clear of Aplington, leaving Schipper's house untouched. The Walters home had a busted window, debris in the house, and trees in the yard. An errant boat had crashed into the side of their garage.
Two weeks after the tornado in the small town to the north, however, the emotions- disbelief, shock, sorrow, empathy, and more - are as raw as ever for a pair of Iowa volleyball players who grew up in the area.
Middle blocker Becky Walters and outside hitter Megan Schipper played volleyball together at Aplington-Parkersburg High School. Walters grew up in Parkersburg, and Schipper grew up in Aplington.
Walters, who was in Vermillion, S.D., with her family, said she was sitting outside when her mother came out to tell her that a tornado had ripped through Parkersburg, taking out everything in its path.
"I said, 'Nah, no way.' I couldn't believe it," the 20-year-old said.
When her family returned to town, she said, she didn't know what street to turn on to get to her house.
"I usually go off houses, markers. There was nothing to go off," Walters said. "I can't even explain it. You grow up in a town for your whole life, then get there and don't recognize it."
Schipper, also 20, was in Clear Lake that day when reports began trickling in.
"My initial reaction was, 'Everyone's overreacting, it's not that bad,' " she said. "Until we saw it, we thought everything was an exaggeration and it couldn't possibly be that bad."
But when the Schipper family returned home, they saw the destruction. Megan Schipper said she spent most of that day helping family members who lived in Parkersburg clean up.
The tornado steered clear of Aplington, leaving Schipper's house untouched. The Walters home had a busted window, debris in the house, and trees in the yard. An errant boat had crashed into the side of their garage.
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