One year ago Tuesday, a tornado touched down in St. Louis Park near the intersection of highways 394 and 100, eventually moving north into Golden Valley, Fridley and Minneapolis.

St. Louis Park was spared the worst of the twister, as the storm intensified as it moved into Minneapolis, causing widespread damage in North Minneapolis.

Still, there was damage in the Park. Power was knocked out at the Sabes Jewish Community Center. The Nestle Healthcare Nutrition facility sprung a gas leak and sustained roof damage. And the Cedar Trails Condominiums in the 4500 block of Cedar Lake Road took the brunt of the storm in SLP, as a number of units were hit by fallen trees and other debris.

This included the residence of Victor Valdez, who was inside his condo with his wife when a tree came crashing through a bedroom window. Luckily, the two were OK.

“I saw it coming,” Valdez said of the tornado. “I closed the window and just jumped back.

“I was standing there amazed I was still alive.”

A year later, the Cedar Trails area looks vastly different, as roofs have been repaired and tree limbs cleaned up. You can see photos comparing last May to this May in the gallery above.

Want to share your own tornado photos and memories? Click here.