May 6, 1975, the day a tornado ripped through several neighborhoods like Westgate. It’s been 50 years. For Mike Kelley, who lived in Pipal Park, it’s a day that has never left his memory.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It was a day much like today.
"Beautiful day. I don't know if there was a cloud in the sky," said Mike Kelley, who lived with his family in the caretaker house at Pipal Park.
A senior in high school, Mike Kelley headed home after baseball practice was canceled.
"We were all kind of upset about that because the weather was fine," Kelley said. "I came home, and I ended up kind of parking the car somewhere like right around here, and went in the house, and my dad's got his police radio on, because that was the way they were able to track the weather a little bit. The police were kind of tracking the storms."
Two years ago, KMTV's Mary Nelson spoke with David Campbell, the Omaha police officer who relayed information over the scanner for people to hear. Traveling west on I-80 toward 72nd Street.
"It came off just enough where I could get off the exit ramp and decide what my plan was. I didn't really have a plan — it's just 'I want to save people' and here you go," Campbell said.
The Kelley's rushed into the bathroom — they didn’t have a basement. The last thing they saw before closing the door was the tornado hitting Westgate Elementary.
Moments later, "it was just an extremely violent rumble — the whole house was shaking," Kelley said.
Mike latched onto his father against the door.
"He was yelling, we're all right, we're all right,' and yelling it extremely loud," Kelley said. "I think he saved us all, I really do, in getting us all together and going, 'we are going in here, get your cushions, and we are going to be OK.'"
Everyone in his house was OK, and before long neighbors rushed to help those impacted across the city.
"People were coming from all over the neighborhoods that didn't get hit and helping their neighbors. It was amazing," Kelley said.
Now, 50 years later, Westgate neighbors past and present are gathering at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the newly renovated Pipal Park playground to share in the milestone anniversary.
"I encourage everyone to come out, whether they were involved in the tornado or remember the tornado or not. I think they'll be intrigued by the stories, the memories, the memorabilia that might be brought," said Terry Anderson, a Westgate neighbor who is organizing the program.
For Mike, gatherings like this are a good time to reflect.
"It's like a family," Kelley said. "Sometimes you feel you are the only one who feels this way or has these dreams. Not even close."
Three lives were lost that day, over 100 people were injured — a day Omaha will never forget.
