March 1, 2007 (3 years later)

"Although things will never be the same, my spirits are high and i am eternally grateful to call myself and Enterprise Wildcat."-Sabrina Bowden

When they say the words i love are over used i would have to disagree at an early age i have had to deal with loss. I know everyone has delt with some sort of loss but tomorrow will be three years since i experienced my loss. In high school i was a cheerleader i loved my squad and my school and had the best time representing EHS. The days before the tornado were filled with excitement our basketball team had had a record breaking year. In fact the Friday before the storm everyone got out of school early and went to Troy to cheer on our basketball team. We were young and wild and free invincible we thought.

Andrew Jackson

Thursday, March 1, 2007 was a school day like any other; my dad had said something earlier in the week about there being bad weather predicted for Thursday i didn't really pay it any attention. Thunder storms are a normal part of spring in south Alabama. I had Human Anatomy with Mr.Myers for 1st block and then we had break and i went to TA for Mrs.Taylor's class. I was working on a bulletin board for her class room when she said we were having a Tornado warning so i had to go out and sit in the hall. When i went out everyone was already sitting in the hallway. Everyone was relaxed even relieved to be missing class time and getting to sit in the hall and socialize. Since i TA'd during Mrs.Taylor's free period there wasn't a class for me to sit with so i sat with Micheal Casey he was the TA for the Library during 2nd block. We talked and joked the teachers were agitated to be missing class as time went on we got restless. When are we getting lunch we asked. Lunch time came and went people had their cell phones out calling there parents to come pick them up.

I remember the lights going off the administrators had flashlights and were walking down the hall saying this is serious everyone got quiet. Officer Dunaway came in yelling get ready here it comes and i remember grabbing my hood putting it over my head with one hand and grabbing Micheal's arm with the other. The sky lites in the hall way popped i heard kids screaming it was the most horrible sound you could imagine like an agony scream. But because of where i was sitting all i felt was a breeze i don't remember the sound of the tornado but i remember hearing lots of people say what they thought it sounded like. It was over quickly we all just sat there for a second thinking did that really just happen?! Then the next thing i knew some man yelled i smell gas and everyone scrambled trying to get out of the building. Mrs. Taylor grabbed me and said are you okay then she prayed with me and we made our way to the front door. I remember having to step over our high school trophy cases to get out of the school. Rubble was all around outside. We stood at the front of the school for a few minutes i saw my classmates getting carried out by other classmates. i felt helpless i couldn't go back in all i could do was wait for friends to come out. We were instructed to go to the church across the street and wait there. The church was a zoo teachers screaming at one another saying we have to get a plan, kids sitting in the pews some in a daze...shock, some in tears. i remember Michelle was crying and screaming AJ i can't find AJ.

Where i was in the school the damage was not near as bad as some of the places. I was so lucky to be by the library where the walls and roof were still attached after the storm had passed.

It wasn't until i heard her crying that the thought even crossed my mind that someone could have been killed in the storm. I found Sabrina and Logan they asked where Brad was i said he left school i tried calling him but the phone lines were a mess. Logan's mom made it to the church and i went with her. I couldn't get a hold of my mom either i had left my phone in the car that day so i was trying to borrow other peoples in between their phone calls. When i finally made it home i saw the full scope of the damage our school was on CNN.

That night was the first of many depressing nights. Everyone said they couldn't find AJ and Ryan i knew they would be okay i just knew they would make it... i must have called there phones 10 times i left messages but all i could do was wait. Brad came over he said he had heard they didn't make it. I lost it i cried and cried i slept with Trey Trey that night well i didn't sleep much but i couldn't sleep alone. Ryan and AJ went to heaven three years ago tomorrow .Ryan was my stunt Partner and one of my best friends on the cheer-leading squad AJ was like my coach always pushing me to work harder and be better. They were great guys i love and miss them.

Ryan Mohler

Area Around the school (above)the "new gym" (below)Enterprise High School Varsity Cheerleaders 2006-2007

Ill never forget the special friends i lost on that day they made me laugh so much. However after the loss of my teammates i realize that this life is short. We are not home here Heaven is not far away and we will be reunited soon enough. So tell everyone in your life how you feel about them let them know you love them don't wait. And live for the Lord God is in control.