Everyone who was alive at the time remembers exactly where they were on September 11, 2001, but do you remember where you were just seven months later—on April 28, 2002? Long-time residents of La Plata, Maryland certainly do. 
   It was on that date nearly 20 years ago that an F4 tornado nearly wiped the small town 30 miles southeast of Washington, D.C., off the map. The La Plata tornado ranks as the second strongest tornado to ever strike a state along the East Coast.
   Just in time for the anniversary, a new book is out that shares the stories of what happened, and the sheer determination of the people of La Plata to pick themselves up and rebuild. On April 28, longtime La Plata resident Anthony Puzzilla officially launched Hope Triumphs over Chaos: The La Plata Tornado of April 28, 2002 at Martin's Auto Repair & Towing located at 309 Charles Street in La Plata. Martin's Auto & Towing, was destroyed in the storm, then later rebuilt.

       The book chronicles what went wrong that day, and what has been learned in the aftermath of one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. On April 28, stories aired on both WUSA-TV, the CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. and WJZ-TV, the CBS affiliate in Baltimore.  Puzzilla was also interviewed on WBAL-AM/Baltimore the evening of April 23., and a story was published in the South Maryland News.   

   Learn more about Anthony's work, or pick up your copy of his new book on his website, AnthonyPuzzilla.com.