• 59°
franklin county times

Without warning

By Staff
HARROWING EXPERIENCE Reatha Hodges' daughter-in-law, Katrina Hodges, inset, was critically injured when Saturday's tornado ripped through her Willow Lake Road home, tossing it to the other side of the road and smashing it into pieces. Photo by Marianne Todd/The Meridian Star
By Marianne Todd/The Meridian Star
Dec. 19, 2000
Those who know her say Katrina Hodges won't let the Saturday tornado that ripped through her Willow Lake Road home take the one thing she has left her life.
From a room in the intensive care unit of Jackson's University Medical Center, a weak Hodges recounted her harrowing story to family members.
A day after major surgery to repair her pelvis, Hodges' mother-in-law, Reatha Hodges, spoke for her.
Hodges' trailer had been in the direct line of the tornado. In one fell swoop, the twister picked up the mobile home, threw it across the road and reduced it to splinters and bits of insulation. The bulk of the debris lay scattered some 80 to 100 feet from where it sat on its foundation. Katrina was found another 30 feet away, down a slope in a neighbor's backyard.
Reatha Hodges learned of the tornado at work and, using a back road, came to the aid of her daughter-in-law.
Reatha Hodges said she tried to calm family members, many of whom live in nearby homes.
On Sunday, Katrina endured more than five hours of surgery in which surgeons installed permanent steel rods in her broken pelvis.
The 32-year-old woman will face another surgery in five to seven days to repair her spine and will endure a long hospital stay to help her recover from broken ribs and a punctured lung.
Reatha Hodges said family members are grateful to have her still with them.
At press time, Katrina was listed in critical but stable condition.
Marianne Todd is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at mtodd@themeridianstar.com.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x