Local family remembers being in Anchorage for 1964 earthquake

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) – Friday’s news of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska strikes to close to home for one family in Cleveland.

The news of the earthquake brought back terrible memories for one Cleveland family.

Peggy Shaw and her son Gary were living in Anchorage back in 1964 when the largest earthquake ever recorded in the United States destroyed the town.

When Peggy heard the news Friday, it took her back to that day over 50 years ago.

“Just reliving 1964 and thinking about all those people who are going through this again. Although this was smaller, but they’re still going through a lot of devastation,” Peggy told News 12.

Peggy’s son Gary was just 5 years old when the earthquake hit anchorage in 1964.

The memory of that time caused him to do the one thing he knew would help people in this crisis.

Gary said, “After I had seen it on the news, I told my wife, I said let’s get down. I started praying and she looked at me and said you’re praying? I said they could be people killed or hurt. She said okay so she started praying with me.

After this tragedy the family believes this is a time for people to put their differences aside and help those who are suffering.