ATLANTA — Falling in a thunderous roar from a sheer 186-foot rock wall, Toccoa Falls is one of Georgia's most spectacular sights. But this natural wonder not only evokes in me awe at its beauty, but also dark memories of what happened here 33 years ago.
In all my 47 years of reporting, I can recall few, if any, stories with the horror and impact of the Toccoa Falls dam disaster. Early on the morning of November 6, 1977 a dam above Toccoa Falls broke after heavy rains sending a wall of water crashing over the falls and onto the campus of Toccoa Falls College.
John Pruitt IM toccoa 1977 1977 John Pruitt in Toccoa Falls in 1977
Thirty-nine people -- students, faculty members and their families, and others connected to the college -- perished in the swirling torrent.
Covering the aftermath, I was deeply affected by the scope of the disaster—the lives lost, the debris, the destroyed homes, the ruins of what was once a vibrant college campus. But where I expected to find shattered victims who had lost all hope, I found something else entirely. I found a Christian college community accepting what happened with an unquestioning faith and serenity and vowing to rebuild.
Returning to Toccoa Falls and the beautifully restored campus for Georgia's Hidden Treasures brought back all those memories. I'm glad we can share these lovely scenes and this story with our viewers. I hope all who visit this remarkable place will not only enjoy the beauty and serenity, but will also reflect on the unbreakable faith of those who survived one of Georgia's worst disasters.
WSBTV
