'Whole Trees Getting Thrown through the Air': Fridley Folks Recall 1986 Tornado

Thursday was the 27th anniversary of the July 18, 1986 tornado that swept through Fridley and other nearby cities. Here are some of the memories of that day people have posted on the Fridley Patch page on Facebook: 


Jennifer Foxhoven   I was babysitting a few miles away from there when it happened,I remember the kids were cool as cucumbers and I was a wreck! The parents were very glad I took such great care of their kids and that we weren't hurt-pretty scary stuff!


Kelly Procai   I was at what is now Cub foods on 694 and university and the sirens went off.. Looked up and there it was! I was only 6 years old but what I saw is stuck in my head forever.. My house at the time was about a mile from springbrook nature center, could have been a lot worse if it would have kept going into my neighborhood! Lucky...


Trish Stellick-Alfaro   I was at Fridley Assembly of God with my friend Debi Leiva; we were there for youth group to do a car wash... obviously we didn't make much money! I was one of the last kids to get to call my mom and let her know I was safe before the phone line died! I remember everyone standing outside right before it happened, watching how the sky rolled and circled above us!


Dave L Salmonson   I was there. I was working at T.R McCoys when it came through. I was watching whole trees getting thrown through the air. From that 1/2 mile distance they looked like someone was throwing trees for your old train set around.


Karen Sandbakken   was there... lived off E River Road and tried to go to doctor with one of my kids; we saw two white twisters on either side of University and did a u turn... never made it to Dr. apt.


Marilyn Gerdeen   I was with my little girl in the basement!


Tim Simonson   I watched the tornado from the Target paring lot on my way into work (the Target by 694). The following summer I spent my days working at Springbrook in charge of 6 kids. We moved all of the downed trees that were cut into firewood lengths. We had to carry most of the wood out from the woods to nearby trails by hand. Springbrook sold the firewood to help cover repair costs that needed to be made to the nature center. I also helped plant over two hundred trees at the park. I kept them watered all summer long by carrying 5 gallon pails to wherever they were located. It was a great summer following that incredible event.


What's your tornado or summer storm memory? Leave a comment below. 


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