Been walking through mile-wide tornado paths for days on end, bringing supplies to victims. We lost almost everything in minutes, and we are still missing some dear friends that no one has seen or heard from since last Tuesday morning after the first line of storms hit.

I'm emotionally and physically numb and exhausted. Our house is half-gone, and is uninhabitable because of the damage, and we lost most of our possessions, but we are extremely thankful to be alive, I cannot stress this enough...
Sometime just after daybreak last Tuesday morning, we watched our kitchen disappear into the side of an F4 tornado that I could only see a fraction of. It was so big, like a thousand freight trains, and we are so tiny and insignificant.

My boss's house, and his warehouse are gone, so now I am just volunteering everyday until everything is done, I've never been in this type of situation, but I still have a nice set of drums, a beautiful wife, and the best family and friends imaginable. My wife Paige still has a great job as a marketing VP, and we have good insurance, and soooo much family between us that we have not been without essentials and places to sleep.

Me and my family are good to go, but If you want to help others, and help us help them, go to websites for red cross, or united way of Alabama and donate, -I have already unpacked hundreds of pallets of goods from these orgs as well as all the local churches, in the last few days and walked them out to people who need them

Lots of people are still missing, and it's too dangerous to start big cleanup in our area, we are just trying to locate the missing, and bring people who can't leave their neighborhoods the supplies that are piling up at the distribution center.

Please know that we are strong people, and we are gonna be just fine, but there are many who are not, and we are doing everything we can. I have 1 gig a week from now until feb next year already booked, so I am able to volunteer everyday until it's done, which will take months.
I'll try to check back and update you guys in a few days. We are also under the constant protection of the National Guard, and serving side by side with troops of 1156th CID who served in Iraq last year.

We have been forever changed, and we live on and do good for our brothers and sisters who passed away. I am more alive than I have ever been, and we are overflowing with intense love for our fellow humans.
Please pray for us, and everyone here, and or keep us in your thoughts.

This photo is the closest I could find to our house, we lived a half-mile from this spot.

www.vosizneias.com/wp-...25x541.jpg

I can't imagine the terror of waking up to something like that. My heart goes out to you and your family Cal and I'm glad you are alright. My condolences to any in that area who were lost. I would imagine that something like this brings into sharp focus what's really important in a person's life and everything else probably seems quite trivial now. Keep us updated...

I'm glad you guys are okay.
I saw a few videos of that thing and was terrified. I can't imagine.

Brutal. Can't say I can even comprehend as we do not ever get that kind of weather, well, other than fires... but glad to hear that your family is doing well. Sad to hear of the damage that was done and the lives lost. I don't pray, but will hope all works out for you all after the difficulty of these times is over.

Hang in there Cal, let us know if there is anything we can do.

Fuck me that looks scary! Glad to hear you and yours are ok mate. Kitchen's can be rebuilt, people can't.

Thoughts and prayers for sure Cal. Glad your ok for sure man.

I am so happy to be able to report that all of our missing friends have been accounted for and are alive and well.
Paige and I are volunteering and living at a medium sized Methodist church for the next few days, located a few blocks from where we lived. They have full showers, laundry facilities, internets, and as if that wasn't enough, a Foosball table! (my fav table game)

Thanks to you guys for the kind words. Being able to sign on and read the forums brings back a little normalcy. Talk to ya later, break time is over!

F2F2!!!!

Good man! Thanks for the update!

Great news.

We watched a Chinook land! So awesome!

Wow man that is some scary stuff!!!

I was caught in the area of tornadoes that hit North Carolina Raleigh area when driving to South Carolina on 95. I know a decent amount about meteorology and saw tornado clouds above us causing me to check my six and all around us a lot while telling my girl friend "this isn't good, see these clouds here, if you ever see them moving like this it means tornadoes are in the area." Right after I was saying that all of the sudden golf ball sized hail started to thunder down on my car (I continued to drive since no overpasses or ditches around). It was so loud we had to shout to each other and she was freaking out. The hail was hitting my car so hard I thought my windshield or side window were going to break and my girl kept saying "this isn't good and that she was sorry for my car" In the end I saw no tornadoes but they were within miles of us.

I cannot even comprehend what being right in the line of fire of an F4 was like and my thoughts and prayers go out to you and all the others down south. Glad you are safe and doing well. Nature is a powerful force and its amazing to realize how small and insignificant we can be to her forces.

Hail is deadly just by itself, and I've always hated being in a car during bad weather, it just adds to that un-easy feeling!

What a beautiful day to be alive and free. I'm celebrating my 32nd bday today, serving my community in the debris fields.
Paige is reading the forums with me right now, and we love you guys, thanks for the thoughts and prayers. CP's are lifted, and mass-cleanup has started today! It's a little messy around here, but we'll have it cleaned up in a few months, kthx brb.

hey Cal !

happy birthday man..

Happy B-Day old man...lol

Glad to hear everyone is doing good.