Ten years ago, 12 people died and more than 100 were injured when a tornado ripped through the Green Acres Campground at Pine Lake, Alberta.
The tornado cut a swath of destruction for 20 kilometres, and the wind, which reached 287 kilometres per hour, uprooted trees, destroyed farms, and tossed trailers and cars into the nearby lake.
Waldie Lamarre was there that day. She was ripped from her trailer and tossed 20 metres. Although her physical wounds healed, her emotional wounds remain a decade later.
"It was absolutely horrendous. I will never forget that," commented Lamarre.
Lamarre says what happened that day is never far from her thoughts, but she now finds peace in the same place that brought tragedy.
"I am always reminded of it, but I still love it here," she added.
Her daughter Michelle Doyle has been coming to the campground since she was a small girl, now she brings her children to visit and play.
"I think back on it once in a while. I am a little bit more aware of storms now, but mostly enjoy it now," said Doyle.
A memorial grove was planted as a physical reminder of the tragic day. 12 trees were planted for each person who lost their life in the tornado on July 14, 2000.
While no formal memorial was planned to mark the tenth anniversary, the Ellis family decided to mark the day in their own way by putting flowers on the memorial plaque.
The owner and operator of the Green Acres Campground, Lexy Fisher, says she won't let the past keep her from living today.
"No matter what tragedy anybody goes through, we have to move on," said Fisher.
There were about 1,600 people at the campground the day the sky turned black and the wind sounded like a train. Most of them stayed to rebuild their holiday homes and their lives.
