‘I need my jersey to run’: Missing track jersey found in tree after tornado
By Maddie Augustine
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BENNINGTON, Nebaska (KETV) — Normally, the end of April is when Bennington junior Lilly Dall is worried about how fast her one-mile split time is during the 3200-meter race, but just days before the conferences meet, a tornado ripped part of the roof off of Dall’s house.
“When the house picked up, it kind of, like, twisted it, I’m assuming, because our foundation is off by like eight inches,” Dall said.
Dall said she and her sister were at the Zach Bryan concert in Des Moines during the tornado when their mom called and broke the news.
“That kept running through my mind,” Dall said. “I was like I could come home to like, nothing and just be like, everything’s gone.”
Her family was OK, but Dall’s track jersey was missing. Her first thought was letting Bennington track coach, Jocelyn Suing, know via email.
Writing, “Our house got hit by the tornado and as of now I cannot find my jersey. So sorry. I just thought I would let you know. I hope you are safe and well.”
Suing said the jersey was not even a concern.
“I’m like, ‘Why are you doing this?’ You know, like, this is the least of our worries, our jersey, right now,” Suing said. “It’s to make sure you’re OK. Hindsight, thinking back, you know, that was her whole life before it all happened, so track and school. So, in hindsight, I wasn’t really surprised.”
But on Saturday, after returning home, Dall made it her mission to find her jersey.
“I also have a superstition where like, I have to wear the same stuff, you know? So like, I needed that jersey,” Dall said.
She nearly gave up after walking her family’s entire property and coming up empty-handed, but then a birthday sash blowing in the wind caught her eye.
“I saw it, and I’m like, Oh, that’s funny. There’s a sash up in the tree,” Dall said. “And then I saw my state basketball sweatshirt, and then I look up and I’m like, There’s my jersey.”
The jersey was covered in some dirt, but otherwise perfectly intact and in Dall’s possession just in time for conferences.
“For sure, that dirt power is going to push me forward,” Dall said.
Dall said it was a sign from God.
“I think that my jersey being okay was him telling me like, this is going to be OK, like this is not the end and everything will be OK,” Dall said. “I just want to thank God so much to protect our family and just, like, keep us all safe and be able to have a house to get our stuff out of and just, like, thankful for everything we have.”
Dall didn’t have her jersey with her during Monday’s practice but said not to worry. It was being thoroughly washed and dried, and she will be sporting it during Tuesday’s track meet.
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