65 years ago tomorrow, the Worcester Tornado ripped through central Massachusetts. The deadliest tornado in state history started at the northern edge of the Quabbin Reservoir, in Petersham, before moving through the tiny towns of Barre, Rutland, and Holden. Then it reached the city of Worcester. By the time the tornado dissipated, nearly 100 people had lost their lives. Mary Morello, now 93 years old, was living in Worcester with her family in June of 1953, and she was at home the afternoon that the tornado struck. Morello spoke with WGBH All Things Considered host Barbara Howard. The following transcript has been edited for clarity.

Barbara Howard: You were living in Worcester with your family, and you were at home when the tornado struck. Tell me what happened.

Mary Morello: Well, I was living with my husband and my four little ones. Of course I distinctly remember because my son was born in April of 1953.

Howard: So tell me where you were that day.

Morello: I was at Great Brook Valley, at the Curtis Apartments, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Up on the third floor.

Howard: Okay.

Morello: And I was getting my supper ready. It looked very ominous and I was quite worried because my husband wasn't home yet. And so what happened was he got home minutes before it happened, and he immediately went into the bedroom, and I had the crib with my little son in it, and he brought it out in the hallway. And we were all together in the hallway, because my husband said to me, 'this is a tornado.' I didn't know what it was, but he did. He knew.

Howard: So tell me what happened next.

Morello: Well what happened next was there was a very, very loud noise. So we were in the hall, trying to protect ourselves. Everything was going past us. It started from the back end of the building and went to the front and continued on. And during the course of that, it was like a train coming through. A very, very loud, loud noise.

Howard: How many minutes did that go on?

Morello: I would say about three or four minutes. And in the course of it running through, it was broken glass, dirt, total destruction. The ceiling was coming out and I could actually see the sky.

Howard: You must have been terrified.

Morello: I really was.

Howard: When you were in the middle all of this, did you feel like you yourself might be pulled out?

Morello: For some reason, we were protected in the hallway, and everything seemed to go past us. It was very unusual and unbelievable. And then once it went past us, I just stepped out into the living room area, and looked out, and my curtains were outside. There was no glass. Everything was dirt and mud everywhere. My meal was on the floor. Like I said, everything was just broken glass and mud everywhere, and I could see the sky. The corner of the building looked like it was ready to explode. I could see fissures in the building. And when I looked out, there was a newly built house across the street that was completely demolished. It looked like a bunch of matchsticks piled together, like sometimes when you're playing with them. That's how bad it was. And the people were killed there.

Howard: That sounds like it was a horrible experience. It sounds like it sticks with you even today.

Morello: Yup. It's something that just stays in your mind.

Howard: Well, Mary, thanks so much for talking with us about it.

Morello: Well, it's my pleasure, thank you.

Howard: That's Mary Morello of Worcester. She was living in Worcester when the deadliest tornado in Massachusetts history tore through that city, leaving nearly 100 people dead. That was 65 years ago tomorrow.