Teddy Bears Help Bring Security To Children In Town Hit Hard By Recent Tornadoes

The Paducah Sun ^ | May 24, 2003 | Staff Report

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Teddy bears to calm kids

Staff Report

METROPOLIS, Ill.--More than 1,200 Russ brand teddy bears will be distributed to southern Illinois elementary school students to help them work through trauma from recent deadly tornadoes.

"Each one has a printed message that says, ‘I'm your Angel Bear,’" said the Rev. Richard Keplinger, who was contacted by an anonymous donor and asked to distribute the bears. "We want to help the kids work through the emotions of fear and sadness. Not all of these children have been affected by the tornadoes, but they've seen the sights and they've heard people talking about them."

Keplinger, the interim pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cairo, said the bears will be given to preschool through second-grade students at Massac County Unit 1 schools, Grand Chain Elementary School, Maple Grove Elementary School, Polliwog Place Day Care Center in Metropolis and the Living Hope Christian School in Karnak.

Each bear comes with tips for parents on how they can help children deal with nightmares, stress and questions about tornadoes.

"The most important thing is that they start talking and communicating," Keplinger said. "When they see another storm cloud, they're probably going to be afraid. You have to talk to them about storms and help them realize that not every storm is dangerous."

The May 6 tornado killed two people near Karnak and New Grand Chain.

The bears arrived Thursday, Keplinger said. Deliveries started Friday and will continue next week.

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The most intense tornado of the event began near the Ohio River in Pulaski County, Illinois
and peaked at F4 intensity as it crossed western Massac County. The tornado killed two
persons before entering Pope County and ending near the Ohio River at Golconda. This
tornado was only the second F4 tornado (winds 207-260 MPH) in the Paducah County
Warning Area since 1990. Despite the very rural character of the tornado-ravaged area, about
125 homes were destroyed and at least another 150 were damaged. The maximum intensity
of the tornado occurred west of Interstate 24 in Massac County, where F4 winds swept a
permanent home off its foundation into a creek. The residents of that house were among 38
persons injured in this 33-mile long tornado. The tornado blew over railroad cars of a
passing train as it neared the Mermet Lake Conservation Area off U.S. Route 45. Both
fatalities occurred prior to this point in the tornado's track. The tornado crossed Interstate 24
less than a mile south of the New Columbia/Big Bay exit in Massac County, near mile marker
28. Tractor-trailer rigs and a tour bus were overturned on the interstate, with injuries reported.
The tornado crossed Illinois Route 145 right near the Pope/Massac County line. The tornado
destroyed mainly farmhouses and farm buildings in very rural Pope County. As the tornado
reached the Golconda area, the Pope County High School and Elementary School sustained
minor to moderate damage. The tornado finally dissipated about a mile north of Golconda
just before the parent storm crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky.

Fatalities: In eastern Pulaski County, a 53-year-old male was killed when the chimney of his
house collapsed on him. The man was protecting his son by lying on top of him when the
collapse occurred. The son received only broken bones. In western Massac County, near the
Hillerman and Mermet communities, a 65-year-old female was found dead in a ravine about
100 yards from her mobile home. The frame of the mobile home was wrapped around the
trunks of two trees.