Arkansas family remembers airman for saving life during tornado

VILONIA, Ark. – A quiet place of reflection on the corner of on Aspen Creek Drive and Rush Drive stands to remember the loudest it ever got. When on April 27, 2014, 190 mph winds leveled nearly every home in the immediate area.

“It was just complete havoc of everything destroyed,” Dan Wassom Sr. stated.

Looking back to deadly 2014 tornado that ripped through Central Arkansas

He arrived after the EF-4 tornado left its mark and found his son, Master Sergeant David Wassom Jr., dead, but that isn’t all he discovered.

“It is because of him (Wassom Jr.) that his daughter is alive today,” Pam Wassom said.

Wassom Jr.’s mother stated those who knew him best called him Bud, and his youngest girl couldn’t have asked for a better friend when her dad laid down on top of her as the storm passed over them.

Putting his life on the line was nothing new as he served in the Air Force for 12 years. For his service and bravery, the Little Rock Air Force Base renamed one of its streets so he can continue to guide future generations.

“They say you actually die two deaths. One when you initially die and one when nobody says your name anymore, and it makes me feel honored that his name will always be spoken and remembered,” Pam said.

Vilonia resident reflects on day EF-4 tornado tore through his home

Saturday marks the 10-year anniversary of Arkansas’ single deadliest tornado in over 50 years. 16 people lost their lives when, for an hour, an EF-4 tornado carved a 41-mile path through Pulaski, Faulkner, and White Counties.

Rebuilt houses now surround Wassom’s former home, but his surviving wife and two daughters have moved. They donated their corner lot to the city where Remembrance Park is now enjoyed by all nearby.

A plaque there reads “May he and the others that lost their lives that night never be forgotten.”

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