[NKP_Vet]

Hurricane Hazel holds a special place in my life because it is my first memory. We lived about 90 miles from the NC coast when Hazel hit. I was 4 1/2 years old. It of course was raining like cats and dogs outside and the wind was blowing at about 100 miles an hour. My father had had one to many beers and decided he was going outside and “fly like Superman.” Just as he had opened the door I can still hear mama say “grab your daddy boys or he’s gonna blow away.” My two older brothers 14 and 12 years old, each grabbed an arm and pulled him back in the house. And of course in doing so probably saved his life. Now that’s a hell of a first memory to have, but it’s mine. In later years he couldn’t recall the event, but my mother and two big brothers could and so could this 4 year old boy. That was 64 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday.

This recollection of Hurricane Hazel was posted because some time this week NC might get hit with a storm as bad or worse than Hazel. Please keep the folks in it’s path in your prayers,

[entropy12]

Go away Hazel...we already had 2 hurricanes in 2 years in Florida.

[ALX]

Thanks for sharing. By no means am I an Hurricane expert, but I can’t recall a storm just bulldozing straight into the coast from so far out. Im used to seeing them come up the cost...not perpendicular.

[tomkat]

My father had had one to many beers and decided he was going outside and “fly like Superman.”

Sure glad there's nothing like that in my past.

[Kriggerel]

It didn’t just stop at NC. You should see what it did to downtown Toronto.

[Capt_Hank]

I was 9 years old, living in Chester, PA. It was blowing shingles from the houses, and wires down. The sound of the wind howling all night long and things hitting the house. Woke up in the morning, skies were clear and much cooler.

I was docked in Port Norris, NJ, during the 70’s. I understand from the “Old Timers”, Hazel destroyed the oyster business there.

[struggle]

Went through Katrina in Jackson MS. I’m worried because I have 50 ft trees all around my house and live on a slope.

[Adder]

Mine too! And I was in NJ. NO power, sitting around a candle while the folks held hands...then seeing the destruction.
Just little snippets but how searing was that storm!

[tomkat]

Thanks for that video link .. amazing stories !

It's been so long, but to the best of my recollection that's what real journalism used to be like, and probably never will be again.

[knarf]

And I, a 7 year old child in Boston, remember hurricane Carol ... 1955

[GoDuke]

My grandfather had a house on Holden beach destroyed by Hazel. The house he built to replace it was totalled by Hugo. There was a house on Holden that was pushed across the intercoastal waterway to the mainland. They had to float it back over.

[freepertoo]

Wow, what a story!

[C210N]

some time this week NC might get hit with a storm as bad or worse than Hazel...

The Hazel docu said it was moving at a very fast clip... 25 knots, speeding up to 50.

Florence will be a slow mover, perhaps getting mostly stationary, as it winds down in place within NC/VA.

The difference may mean: torrential rains (4' in some places I heard), but shorter lived and more contained winds.

[Rebelbase]

Thank you for posting that. Very informative and a reminder of how far we’ve come in being able to track these storms.

[Revel]

It sounds like there is going to be a big difference between Hazel and Florence. Hazel kept on rolling. Florence is supposed to stall over the coast.

[roses of sharon]

Thanks for posting!

[silverleaf]

We are of a similar era and I lived at Dover AFB then during Hazel. I remember our front porch was ripped off and I remember families sharing barbecue grills to cook outside when there was no power

[deweyfrank]

I was 8 when Hazel hit Wilmington, De. The wind was so strong, I could hardly walk down the street. Of coarse, I probably only weighed about 60 lbs. It tore the hell out of the city. My Dad managed a local club which was having a shrimp feast that night. Some people didn't show up and we ate shrimp for a week. That was my hurricane memory growing up.

[uncbob]

Walked a mile home from college LaSalle during Hazel then another mile after supper to my drug store job at night
In the Germantown area of Philly
18 years old and not enough experience to worry
Main concern was keeping my books dry

[PrairieLady2]

I don’t remember a thing. I existed, but unborn.

I really am concerned about this upcoming storm as I have family in Sorry County. I think they may be about 30 miles inland, but I’ve not been to visit since they moved, so not sure. In any event, that whole area is in my prayers. It would suck to be stuck on the highway in that storm, and roads are likely to be very packed. 333,000 people in such a small area could possibly a slight traffic jam even if a few of them do stay home.

[Renegade]

I was 7 yo living in Kingston ,Pa.Remember seeing a refrigerator box blow by and,we were on the second floor.Giant trees were uprooted .