Thursday, Jan. 25, marked the anniversary of one of the most powerful snowstorms to hit Michigan and Ohio. State of emergencies were called in both states. Most of us who survived the blizzard of ’78 can tell stories much like the ones we share about where we were on 9/11.

Storm systems from the north and the south collided making conditions one of the most dangerous and deadly in history. The numerous deaths were mostly from car accidents and cardiac arrest.

In Ohio, there were 2,700 helicopter rescues performed in unfathomable conditions, including the transporting of a critically ill baby. One firefighter involved in the rescue teared up recalling the urgency of the situation and how thankful he was that things turned out well and the baby survived. In the end, 6,000 people were trapped in their cars and 200,000 people were without electricity in the state of Ohio.

During the brunt of the storm civilians with four-wheel drive vehicles and snowmobiles brought doctors and nurses to hospitals so they could do their jobs. One nurse didn’t remember seeing a single ambulance delivering patients to the ER.

My friend Cindy worked at Red Lobster in Toledo at the time. She said her car was the only one that didn’t get stuck. She once drove a Chevy Vega like I did. Those cars were so lightweight she may have driven home on top of the snowdrifts and not even realized it.

Pregnant women with due dates too close for comfort made their way to hospitals. I often think of mothers to be in dire situations who need surgical intervention to deliver their babies like I did. A few newborns arrived under unusual conditions. Cindy said her father-in-law delivered a baby during the blizzard. One doctor described how he got thrown off the back of snowmobile on his way to assist in a home delivery.

Muskegon, Michigan had 36 inches of snow. Roofs collapsed on buildings. More than 400,000 homes were without power and 125,000 people were stranded on roadsides. At least 20 people died.

My brother Gary lived in an apartment in Dundee at the time. My dad worked in Milan. Dad managed to make it to my brother’s during the brunt of the storm. Gary still had phone service and was able to get ahold of Cousin Tom. Tom rode a snowmobile to Dundee and brought dad home.

I was 18 and in love. Larry was all I thought about. Being stranded in the snowstorm together would have been a lot more fun, but the absence did make our hearts grow fonder and Larry propositioned me on Valentine’s Day the following month.

When the road commission started clearing the snow with road graders it created tunnels so tall the cars could not be seen as they passed. Snow drifts averaged 10 feet high in Michigan and some as 20 feet high in Ohio. Total amounts of snowfall vary according to sources, but Larry remembers our area averaged around 19 inches.

My mom’s sister, husband and three of my cousins stayed with us as they had no heat. We had a wood stove to not only keep warm, but we could cook meals. At night, mom wrapped a hot stone in a towel to put at the end of my bed to keep my feet warm. It worked but dreaming of Larry made me feel warm and tingly all over.

During the blizzard, there was a high demand for milk, bread, and alcohol, not hand sanitizer, aerosols, and toilet paper. People looked out for each other and pulled together. Many risked their lives for total strangers showing us the best of humanity. They didn’t stop to ask — what would Jesus do? They did what Jesus would have done.

— Rita Wyatt Zorn is a wife, mother, grandmother and lifetime Monroe County resident. She can be reached at 7.noniez@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Rita’s Reflections: The Blizzard of ’78