Priceville alumni die in Tuscaloosa tornado
Danielle Downs, 24, and Will Stevens, 21, both Priceville High School graduates, were among the 40 Alabamians who died tragically April 27 when an EF-4 tornado roared through Tuscaloosa near the University of Alabama campus.
Also killed was Loryn Brown, 21, of New Market, a friend of both.
Danielle Downs
Downs had completed her studies at the University of Alabama and was scheduled to graduate on Saturday. Stevens was a senior at Stillman College and was scheduled to receive his bachelor’s degree Sunday.
The three were huddled together under blankets and pillows on the ground floor of a two-story house at 131 Beverly Heights when the tornado struck at 5:10 p.m. Stevens was visiting at the time. Another occupant of the house, a daughter of the owner, was on campus and escaped the storm unharmed.
Stevens was cited as a hero for trying to save his companions.
“He was trying to save the two girls,” said his sister, Taylor Stevens, a junior at Priceville High School. “Bubba” was lying on top of them, holding their hands, when all three were found dead.”
A former three-sport star at Priceville High School, Will last texted his parents at 5:12 p.m.
“This thing is huge but I’m fine,” was the message of the text, according to Taylor.
Will Stevens
“I must’ve texted him 50 times after that but got no response, Taylor said. “That’s when we took off down there.”
Volunteer rescue workers, including several kids who lived across the street, worked several hours digging through the debris to reach the three trapped students.
Will was a scholarship athlete at Stillman He pitched for the college’s baseball team until an injury forced him to give up the sport.
A 2007 graduate of Priceville High School, he excelled in baseball, football and basketball. He quarterbacked the Bulldogs in football and played forward/guard in basketball. He was an all-area selection as a left-handed pitcher in baseball his senior year.
Downs was looking forward to a career in social work, helping those less fortunate, following graduation, according to her mother, Terri Downs.
A 2005 graduate of Priceville High school. Downs played soccer in high school and played the flute for the marching band.
“We extend our deepest appreciation to the Tuscaloosa Police Department, EMT rescuers, neighbors, Mr. Brown (Loryn’s grandfather), the VA Medical Center staff and the University of Alabama Administration,” said Terri Downs. “The volunteers and rescuers searched with their bare hands for over 10 hours to try to save our children’s lives. Mr. Brown used his tree-cutting equipment to remove some of the wreckage. The VA family service counselors and staff were very compassionate in comforting our family in our grief and the University’s administration was very sympathetic and helpful in assisting us with Danielle’s affairs with the school.
To the Priceville and Decatur communities she added, “The outpouring of love and support from the community was overwhelming at Danielle’s visitation. We could hardy believe our daughter had touched so many lives. The sheer number who loved Danielle was a tribute to her life.”
