Monster Tornado Caught Parkersburg by Surprise

Aug. 14, 2009— -- For the town of Parkersburg, Iowa, May 25, 2008, started out like any other Sunday.

It was Memorial Day weekend, a day filled with church, family and relaxed celebrations around town. Little did the people of this small town know that just before 5 p.m. they would be faced with a terrifying force that would change their small community, and their lives, forever.

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Police Chief Chris Luhring, 29, was off duty that day, relaxing with his wife and young children at his in-laws' farm a few miles outside of town.

By early afternoon, the family was outside on the deck, when a storm began to roll in. As the clouds darkened and hail started to fall, the Luhrings admired the power of Mother Nature, unaware of what was about to happen just down the road.

Tyann Lester, then 34, had just finished her morning shift as manager of the Pizza Ranch, a popular hangout located on Highway 57, the main road in town. Her 16-year-old son, Damion, was scheduled to work that afternoon. He quickly dropped her off at home, a few miles from Parkersburg.

As Tyann noticed the clouds darken, she wondered if Damion should skip work and stay home.

But soon her husband called to tell her that a tornado warning had been issued, a common occurrence in this area of the country. "Usually, anytime a tornado warning comes on, nobody thinks anything of it because it never does anything. But it — this day, it just didn't — it didn't feel right," said Lester.

"I thought ... something doesn't feel right. And he looked at me and said, I think it's gonna be a slow night at Pizza Ranch, Mom."

Reluctantly, she let him go.

Meanwhile, just across the street from Pizza Ranch at Matt's Bar and Grill, local football and wrestling champ John Simon, then 17, was setting up for his high school graduation party.

John had decorated the restaurant with his trophies and awards, and was expecting a huge turnout to celebrate his accomplishment.

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