No matter how bad the weather gets, it can always get worse. On this day 39 years ago, the Blizzard of 78 rolled into the Midwest. Everyone who lived through it has a good story, but for me, it was drive from Chicago to Southern Illinois via I-57., that lonely stretch of highway that connects Chicago with Cairo. On it's best days a stretch of road that forces the driver to pinch himself to stay awake, but during severe winter weather is absolutely dangerous. A little backstory here...I had just finished a road trip broadcasting two Missouri Valley basketball games in Omaha and Wichita with legendary play by play man Mike Reis. I headed to my hometown to visit my Dad in the hospital then was on the road again to Southern Illinois.
Driving an AMC Gremlin, I traveled through sheets of ice, 40 mph winds and heavy snow on my way back to college January 25th 1978 Why? I wanted to see my girlfriend, Mary Lou Brayshaw Lofton in DuQuoin Illinois ,then get on the air on WCIL-FM (Carbondale) and WSIU Public Radio. The transmitter for the television station was down due to the storm for WSIU Public Television, where I also worked, so things were crazy. Making the trek to Southern Illinois was without question the most terrifying 2 days of my life behind the wheel. I have never prayed so hard in my life. As that little car plowed through the snow, I knew I was on the road by seeing the reflective posts on the shoulder of the road and the indentations of snow in the I-57 median. I did though, get my kiss from Mary and my on air time from the radio stations. The next day, my buddy and fellow broadcaster Bruce Kopp walked along the SIU campus watching people shovel snow off roofs to keep them from collapsing. By the way, once I parked my car at the Baptist Student Center parking lot, I couldn't get it out for 5 weeks!!!!! Nothing else has rivaled that expeerience, thank God.
