Sports are an integral part of my life. Most of my time is spent watching sports, reading about sports, and playing sports or sport related video games. Since you are reading this, I assume you are in a similar situation. With that being said, somethings transcend sports. In times of tragedy, sports are used as relief from the storm. One such tragedy took place in 2011 with the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham Tornado.
The Tornado
At 4:50 PM on April 27th, the tornado was first captured on video near Union, Alabama, and a tornado emergency was declared. By 5:10, the tornado had reached Tuscaloosa County. It was classified as an EF4, with winds clocked at 195 MPH. According to reports, 53 Tuscaloosa residents died and 12.5% of the city was destroyed. This was just one of 62 tornados that hit Alabama that day, and left Tuscaloosa reeling. All that was left to do was rebuild and try to return to normalcy.
How the Crimson Tide helped
Football is life in Alabama. Bryant-Denny Stadium holds more than Tuscaloosa’s population, and in 2011 it was estimated a home game brings $17 million into the local economy. The 2011 home opener meant more to the local community than a regular home opener. In the aftermath of the tornado however, the Crimson Tide meant even more to the community than a game. Nick Saban urged his players to help with the relief efforts, saying in an ESPN article, “You know, the greatest positive self-gratification that you ever really get is really what you do for somebody else, not anything that you ever do for yourself.” The team answered his call. Nick Saban and his wife, Miss Terry, raised money through fundraisers. Alabama players, such as OL Barret Jones, helped with the rebuilding efforts. This team recognized they were symbols to this community. They were there for the devastation. One player, Carson Tinker (pictured above) lost his girlfriend during the tornado. These kids gave the people of Tuscaloosa something to cheer about after it seemed as if they had lost everything. The Crimson Tide weren’t the only ones to help, however.
The Auburn Tigers
In Alabama, you are born saying “Roll Tide” or “War Eagle.” Team lines are rarely crossed, and the hate lasts a lifetime. However, sometimes the two teams come together. This was the situation after the 2011 Tornado. As a sign of solidarity, Auburn painted a crimson and blue A behind home plate of their baseball stadium. But, the people of Auburn weren’t just about appearances. They did much more than paint an A. For example, 70 people from Auburn came to Tuscaloosa and helped with relief efforts. The group included coach Gene Chizik, players, and administrators. 30 Auburn students also joined 60 Alabama students to help rebuild a local family’s home after the tornado. Even some people not associated with the university helped, with the facebook group “Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa” being made. This group helped raise funds, as well as coordinate relief efforts. Auburn came through for the people of Tuscaloosa in a big way. For their efforts, Tuscaloosa owes Auburn its thanks, and while its blasphemous to say, they’ve earned this: War Eagle.
The Aftermath
Almost seven years later, the aftermath is still seen across Tuscaloosa. While I was not in Tuscaloosa at the time, I still have heard the stories. I work in a retail store right next to Bryant-Denny Stadium, and I have heard the stories. Although the city has worked hard to rebuild, people still remember that day. While that day will never be forgotten, the work of countless people from across the state made life a little easier for Tuscaloosa. This is encapsulated by the memorial put up a year after the tragedy, saying “Called by circumstance, burdened by tragedy, yet inspired by a confident hope, the fury of Mother Nature was met by the best of humanity.”
