# Alive and Well



## Kickapoo Duke (May 15, 2010)

Hello fishing friends, sorry I haven't been on the site in quite a while but it's good to be back. Here's my story:
April 22nd, I'm upstairs on my computer, checking out the storm. Like others in Onalaska it's all a little north of us between here and Trinity. All of my windows are facing south so I don't see any bad things happening. I get a tornado warning on my phone and it's getting a little dark so I decide to go downstairs and pull the truck underneath the house in case we get hail. As I'm backing my truck up, I hear my generator come on and think, no big deal, that's why I have a generator. When I get out of the truck I realize something ain't right so I decide to go in the downstairs bathroom and wait it out. Two walls in there are 4' high concrete. So I sit in the corner and I can see out the garage door. I hear all this commotion and looking out the door can see insulation hanging down. 30 seconds later I'm wondering what all the racket was and walk out and see that all my neighbors houses are destroyed, I look back and see that my house isn't there. I heard neighbors yelling for help and go over, they are trying to get a lady from under a wall that had fallen on her. We hold up the wall and pull her out by her feet. Emergency vehicles can't get in neighborhood so we flag down a pontoon boat and put her on it. Can't remember the boat owner's name but he owns an A/C shop. They go to another ramp to pick up more folks, a young boy whose leg was hurt bad and the man who didn't survive and whose girl friend was already deceased. Our neighbor had broken ribs and broken shoulder blade. Meanwhile my whole house generator is just purring away like its supposed to, but there was nothing for it to power up so I cut off the gas. Then I go around cutting off neighbors gas meters but some I couldn't because they were broken before the meter. We checked on all the other neighbors to make sure everyone was ok. 
We were all pretty shook up. People ask what it was like or what it sounded like; it was so quick I didn't have time to think about it. 
I do thank God that he made me go move my truck because I'm like most of us--I used to enjoy watching storms come up and the warnings are always for someplace else. Otherwise I know I wouldn't be here today. The recliner I was in was at my neighbors along with my 600lb shuffleboard and most everything else in my house. I have no idea where my roof ended up, I've only seen small pieces of it.
I had just had my house painted and brand new roof put on so for some reason I called my contractor and told him I needed a new coat of paint. He and his crew were there the next morning. They drove in as far as they could and walked the rest of the way to help out. My co-workers at Re/max showed up and we started saving what we could. My travel trailer was on it's side wrapped around a piling . My contractor loaned me his trailer and Sam and Sandi Karnes let me park it at their place where I stayed a few days. I'm now in Bella Vista condos on FM 3186 until I rebuild.
At 73, I never felt my age until that day. I am blessed to have not been injured and my insurance has taken good care of me (Travelers by the way). The stress of losing most everything rebuilding has taken it's toll on me but I'll be my normal self again soon. Posting pictures, some the day after, some after house was cleared off and some as it looks now during rebuild. It will actually be a little bigger, adding a bedroom/saferoom downstairs and an elevator--not for me, but all my friends are getting old!! Don't know why the first two are sideways


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## tommy261 (May 3, 2006)

Holy cr*p, I had no idea. Glad you are safe. If there is anything we can do , please let us know.

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## 2catsfishin (Jun 27, 2010)

Wow! Glad you’re OK,


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## c hook (Jul 6, 2016)

*wow*

glad you made it out safe. the man upstairs works in weird ways. i remember Captain Marty talking about the storms on the lake, but never heard any more after that. I see one of you mounts on the commode upstairs. :texasflag


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## Hayniedude24 (Jun 15, 2016)

Holy craap for sure. Glad youâ€™re okay and getting everything handled.


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## Kickapoo Duke (May 15, 2010)

This was the house across the street where the lady was trapped


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## Kickapoo Duke (May 15, 2010)

More neighborhood pics


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## c hook (Jul 6, 2016)

*incredible*

doesn't matter how well built your house is, tornadoes devastate everything in their path. Amazing more people weren't lost. Mother earth is powerful. :texasflag


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Holy cow! Glad you are ok! Itâ€™s rough I know. We lost everything during Harvey.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Glad you are getting things back, that will be a beautiful spot again soon.
That was unreal devastation.


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## troutmauler (Dec 7, 2006)

Incredible story, glad you’re ok. Prayers for you and your neighbors.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

I waited until July 11 to tour the area, basically for respect reasons. The destruction is unbelievable.


In my opinion, it takes a strong person to pick up from that.


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## fishinganimal (Mar 30, 2006)

Its a blessing you are hear to tell about it. Hopefully the new house brings you all comfort in the end. Are you doing a turnkey with a general?


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

WOW - sure glad you were downstairs.


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## Kickapoo Duke (May 15, 2010)

Fishing animal--yes I have a local contractor. He is very patient with me since I make a few changes as we go!!


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## SetDaHook (Oct 21, 2010)

Kickapoo Duke said:


> Fishing animal--yes I have a local contractor. He is very patient with me since I make a few changes as we go!!


Melissa and I are both very glad you made it out with your life. Could have been a totally different story. I know you were in shock but Melissa called you right after it happened to check on you. She had you on speaker and I remember you saying that your house was gone and all of Yaupon Cove is gone. It was hard for us to believe until we saw it with our own eyes. God was watching out for you and has more plans for you!!


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## Kickapoo Duke (May 15, 2010)

Thanks, I must have been in shock, I don't even remember you calling. Neighbors said I was in a daze, think I was running on adrenaline. Actually the first week afterwards is pretty blurry.


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## wwind3 (Sep 30, 2009)

Morning Duke. Enjoyed the update altho it is beyond sad to see what you and others went through. Hope things are getting more back to normal-whatever normal is these days--tough year for all.


Great to finally meet you at my home in Twin Harbors when you were checking out the lots next door. All the best......Norm....


...and to all---cherish the sunrises....God bless....


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## Northern fisherman (Sep 16, 2014)

One heck of a story Mr. Duke. Glad you followed your intuition and went downstairs. My son absolutely loved coming over on the fish fryâ€™s and playing on your board. I told him about what happened and he was generally concerned about yâ€™all (he is 11). Hope to see yâ€™all at the new place some day again. Thanks for sharing with us. 


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