ABSTRACT
The marking of time is often dictated by major events. Those who were alive at the time President Kennedy was shot will forever remember the exact moment when they heard the news of his assassination. The same holds true for events such as the Challenger disaster and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. For the faculty, staff, and students at the University of Alabama (UA), April 27, 2011, bears a similar significance. After days of speculation and alarming forecasts, the city’s worst fears were realized, as a violent EF-4 tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa late Wednesday afternoon. The tornado cut a path of destruction 1.5 miles wide in the city, ultimately injuring hundreds and claiming the lives of 52 residents.
