Much of the news for the past couple days has been about the tornadoes that passed through South Dakota this week. Right now the weather experts are estimating that around 60 tornadoes passed through.

Our friend Eric emailed us the story behind this picture he took that I linked to a few entries ago. He wrote that he got word there was a tornado nearby so he took off in hopes of capturing it on film. He thought he was driving parallel to it and then thought he had lost it when sunshine broke through the clouds. Then he turned and there it was, so the photographer that he is was holding the camera in his hands while driving with his knees. He was a half mile from that tornado.

Eric and Cory grew up together in Lake Wilson, Minnesota, which is a tiny town of just over 200 in southwestern Minnesota. In 1992, a tornado passed through Lake Wilson and the nearby town of Chandler and caused much destruction, needless to say. So, Cory and Eric have had enough personal experience with tornadoes between the two of them.

I don't believe there have been any casualties as a result of the tornadoes and storms, but the itty bitty town of Manchester (around 20 people) was wiped out. One of the residents of Manchester happens to be a woman expecting her first children - twins - in August. And now their house and everything is gone. My heart just broke watching her story on the news. I can't even imagine losing everything at a time when you're preparing for the most amazing event of your life. This is the story, and it includes an address to send donations.