Twenty years ago, six deadly tornadoes hit Central Florida, and Osceola County was the hardest hit area.

  • Osceola hardest hit by Feb. 22, 1998 tornadoes
  • County locals recall the night
  • Deadliest tornado event in all Fla. history

“It’s traumatized me to the point where I hear thunder, and I am looking out the window every five seconds,” said Jacqueline Hall who lived in Kissimmee and was 12-years-old during the outbreak of tornadoes.

“You hear things beating up against the house. You could feel the house moving. It just sounded like everything around you was just collapsing,” Hall explained.

She’s not the only one with these kinds of memories. Twenty years ago, Jerry Hoffman was a 911 dispatcher. He is now a lieutenant for the Osceola County Fire Rescue.

“We got an influx of calls that lit up every 911 line we had,” he said.

Hoffman said Osceola County lost nearly 30 lives on the night of Feb. 22 leading up to the 23rd.

“It was the worst night of my career while I was there. I mean, we had small kids killed, older people killed,” Hoffman said.

Despite two decades passing by, Hall said she will never forget “the night of the tornadoes” and hopes she never goes through something like that again.

“I just don't feel like you can prepare yourself as much even if you’ve been through it,” she added. “I mean in the end, there’s just no way. You just do what you can and then just pray for the best.”

This is the deadliest tornado event in all of Florida history.