What started as a calm spring evening on April 25, 2025, turned into a tense and unforgettable night as tornado warnings and sirens echoed across Canyon and Amarillo, Texas, around midnight. Students at West Texas A&M University and residents across The panhandle moved quickly after an EF-1 tornado touched down east of the city, with winds reaching speeds up to 110 mph according to the National Weather Service.
For many students, the warnings came with little time to spare.
“I was at my dormitory at WTAMU when I got the alert that we were fixing to get hit with a tornado,” said Nataley Bonilla, a junior at WT. “I found out about it from watching the radar and from my family calling me nonstop to get into shelter.”
Following campus emergency procedures, students living in the residence halls were directed to safer locations. Many, including Bonilla and her neighbors, hurried to the Virgil Henson Activity Center to shelter underground in the racquetball courts.
“My [Community Advisor] CA and dorm neighbors immediately had to run to the Virgil Henson Activity Center and go down to where the racquetball courts are and stay put,” Bonilla said. “My CA and the other CAs, along with the WT Police Department, were all watching us, making sure we were okay, especially the animals that were there with their owners.”
Meanwhile, in Amarillo, Cadence Page, a junior English major at WT, was also getting emergency alerts at home.
“I was at home; we had just eaten dinner,” Page said. “We were sitting on the couch, and the SafeZone alerts and National Weather Service announcements all started going off on our phones at the same time.”
Page and her fiancé quickly gathered supplies which included a flashlight, water bottles, phone chargers, and food and water for their cat, and moved into their home’s safe room, a bathroom located in the center of the house.
“We scooped up the cat and went to the bathroom and stayed put,” she said. “We kept our phones charging the entire time just in case the power went out.”
While Bonilla coordinated with her dormmates to stay together and calm on campus, Page stayed in contact with her family members across the region.
“I didn’t communicate with any friends, but I did text my mom, who lives in Dumas, and my grandparents in Amarillo to let them know we were okay,” Page said.
Although Page was not on campus, she kept up with WT’s emergency alerts and learned a few new safety tips after the storm passed.
“We heard after the fact from the News Channel 10 live stream that when you go into your safe spot, you’re supposed to bring something to cover your head and wear good shoes,” Page said. “We didn’t do that this time, but we will in the future.”
The tornado caused minor structural damage east of Canyon, including downed fences, damaged roofs, and fallen trees, but no injuries were reported. On campus, students and staff stayed safely sheltered until the warning expired.
“Looking back, I feel like I did everything at a good pace,” Bonilla said. “Yes, in those moments, your adrenaline pumps, and your mind races, but I tried to do everything to the best of my ability.”
For students like Bonilla and Page, the April 25 tornado warning was more than a late-night scare; it was a real-world lesson in readiness, communication, and community support.
