GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - It was 30 years ago today when KARE 11's helicopter Sky 11 captured unbelievable footage of a tornado moving through Fridley.
The video, which was broadcast live during the 5 p.m. news, soon went global -- giving viewers a rare look at a twister from an above-ground vantage point.
KARE's then-chopper pilot Max Messmer and photographer Tom Empey were sent to capture some footage, after covering the first day of the Minneapolis Aquatennial but the destruction and intense viewpoint they discovered soon made history.
Watch the footage below as reported by Allen Costantini on the 20th anniversary.
The tornado spent 16 minutes in the Springbrook Nature Center.
"Even people outside of the community kind of look at Springbrook as sort of a notable place because of the incredible coverage that KARE 11 provided of the tornado that day," said Mike Maher, director of the Springbrook Nature Center.
He went on to say, "People here in the community, everyone remembers that day. July 18, 1986. They tend to remember exactly what they were doing, they remember seeing the tornado and everybody's got a story. We wanted to capture that."
The historic tornado will be featured in one of the eleven interpretive exhibits that will debut at Springbrook's new 13,000-square-foot interpretive center.
"The most exciting thing for us as a staff is we really are increasing our capacity to serve," Maher said.
The new center opens July 30. A formal ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. followed by a community celebration from 1:30 to 4 p.m.