It’s Been 10 Years Since A Tornado Devastated Wadena (video)

I remember this day well. June 17th, 2010, I was meeting my ex wife in Staples to do the "kid exchange". My girls had spent the week with me and since my ex lived in Detroit Lakes, we would meet halfway for the exchange.

After my ex drove off with the kids, I heard a lady in the Staples Burger King say they were having huge hail reported in the Wadena area. I tried to call my ex because I knew they would be passing through that area shortly.

No answer. Finally, she returned my call and said they were sitting on the side of the road because the rain was coming down so heavily that she couldn't see the road.

After continuing her trip, they passed through Wadena minutes before the EF4 tornado ripped through Wadena leaving the town devastated. Winds of 170 MPH ripped a huge path through town and left horrible destruction.

The miracle of it all was that there was not one fatality. Unbelievable after seeing the destruction.  A trail of destruction a mile wide and 10 miles long.

A tornado so strong it sent school buses hundreds of feet into the air. It devastated neighborhoods and destroyed much of the Wadena High School.

"All I know is that it was horrific," Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden, who rode out the storm in his basement with his teenage daughter.

For years after, I would see the path this tornado took through town every time I passed through. It all looks back to normal now but I doubt anyone that was there back on June 17th, 2010 will never forget that day. Check out the video below