GREENSBURG, Kan. — President Bush hailed the resilience of this town and its tiny high school graduating class Sunday, one year after a tornado barreled through with astonishing fury.
Never before had Bush delivered a commencement address at a high school, and his presence was meant to reflect how far Greensburg has come. From nearly total devastation last May 4, this town is recovering.
At the center of attention is the Class of 2008 — 10 boys and eight girls. They finished their senior year at a makeshift campus of trailers.
“We celebrate the resurgence of a town that stood tall when its buildings and homes were laid low,” Bush said in his remarks at the temporary gym.
“We celebrate the power of faith, the love of family and the bonds of friendship that guided you through the disaster,” Bush said. “And we celebrate the resilience of 18 seniors who grew closer together when the world around them blew apart.”
Bush said the graduating class has sent a powerful message to the nation: “Greensburg, Kan., is back, and its best days are ahead.”
The tornado that flattened Greensburg was the worst in the United States in years. It raged at 205 mph, spanned more than a mile and a half and killed 11 people.
From the ruins, it was hard to tell what had stood before. Bush visited five days after the storm, when he walked through the gnarled mess and handed out hugs. About 95 percent of the town was leveled.
Bush told the students Sunday that they had learned a hard lesson of perseverance.
He compared their resolve to that shown by victims of other disasters, including the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the string of hurricanes, floods and fires during his terms.
“You have seen life at its most difficult,” Bush said. “You have emerged stronger from it.”
Bush personally handed a diploma to each graduate.
Bush thanked the graduates for changing the date of their big day to accommodate him. The commencement had been set for May 10, when his daughter Jenna is getting married.
