5:04 pm

20 years ago was the Loma Prieta earthquake. It's an event I'll always remember. I was 11 years old. The general rule at that age was that I wasn't allowed to have any friends over in my house until I finished all my homework, so my best friend Kari would sit on the porch outside my front door while I sat on the otherside of the door and we did our homework together. When we finished we could play.

At 5:04 that evening, my brother had just gotten out of the bath and ready to watch the Giants and the A's play in the World Series on the TV. Kari and I were separated by the screen door at the front while we did homework. Then I heard that low, basal earthquake rumbling sound and saw that the road moving in large waves like a ribbon. Kari's Dad's 4x4 across the street was bouncing on two wheels, from one side to the other. I heard our lamp fall, then our glass shelf crash. I realized it was a big one. Kari was struggling to get the tricky screen door open from the outside (if you've ever been to my house you know the opening to the screen door doesn't always work so well). In a blur, I opened the door and then dove under the dining room table and waited.

15 seconds later, the earthquake is over. I remember Kari's dad bounding across to street to make sure his daughter was okay. The three of us went over to her house, and there we saw that her aquarium was knocked over on the family room floor. But we were in awe of seeing the swimming pool in the backyard swashing about, water all over the place. I think it took almost an hour for the water to fully settle down.

There were tons of aftershocks. I think those startled me more because there were so many of them and I never knew how big they would be or how long they would last. We walked around the neighborhood, saw hospital procedures being performed out in their parking lot, other neighbors walking around. It was a somber, sobering feeling, and yet as a kid it was exciting because it was so different.

I was so lucky that we only lost a few things, but nothing of incredible monetary or sentimental value. We didn't get hurt, our house was fine. I enjoyed eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches under the table. I was jealous that Kari's family got to use all their camping equipment like their stove. Fun! My family never went camping so we didn't have that stuff.

On our radio we listened to the devastation that hit SF and Oakland, namely the Marina fires, the Bay Bridge collapse, and the Cypress Structure collapse. And once we got power and saw all the images and videos it was really overwhelming. I could go on and on about those events, but they were covered extensively and you can read about that online.

I'm very grateful that no one close to me was hurt seriously (although Tom's sister was burned by a vat of hot oil while working her shift at Kentucky Fried Chicken). And as much as it pains me to read about those who died or almost died, I am reminded by the incredible act of humanity where true heroes emerge, strangers saving strangers.

Read SFGate's article.