Tallahassee’s snowy miracle made for many foundational memories

Most times, you don’t realize you’re having one of the best days of your life until long after it has passed.

On Jan. 22, 2025, it was apparent from the start. After a night of wondering about wintery precipitation forecasts, I stumbled to the window at 3 a.m. to see a steady snowfall blanketing my lawn. I made a sleepy smile knowing that the day ahead was going to be magical in Tallahassee.

My kids arose at sunrise not knowing if the snow had come. They climbed into our bed, and I shared the good news with them. What followed was a parade of wonder that I’ll never forget.

We explored our yard together in the first icy hour after dawn. Woodland Drives was painted white, and my eyes were just as wide as theirs. Icicles hung from camellias like the ancient formations of the Marianna Caverns. Every step was crunchy and foreign to our Floridian feet. We were all at a loss for words until the kids inevitably got hungry.

While my family got breakfast, I decided to take my faithful labradoodle Leon for a walk about. I had to scope out the slopes at Capital City Country Club to see if sledding might be in order. As we strolled through the neighborhood, I saw familiar and happy faces out surveying the snow for themselves. My phone began to ring with notifications of friends and family doing the same on their home streets. Along with the snow, a good mood fell over Tallahassee for what seemed like the first time in a long while.

The weather hasn’t been too kind to our neck of the woods lately. Tornados and hurricanes gave us all enough of a scare last year to last a few decades. However, one arctic blast and a perfectly timed stormfront delivered a life affirming day that made so many worries fade away like snowflakes in the night.

Leon and I were delighted to find our favorite golf course covered in snow. The rolling hills that were so unpleasantly exposed by spring tornadoes now looked like a sunshine state ski resort. The word was getting out too. Kids of all ages were trotting to the course with makeshift sleds to speed down the fairways. We turned back for home to hunt for our own.

Like many in Tallahassee, we were woefully unprepared for this God-given playdate. My best available options were a trashcan top, baking pan, and the lid of a turtle shaped sandbox. Our family piled into our golf cart and slowly rolled back to the course to test the snow worthiness of our vessels. To say they floundered would be an understatement.

My kids were getting upset at my poor engineering skills until a kind neighbor came walking up our way. His name was Fred, and I was glad to make his acquaintance considering he was holding a slick yard sled that would make Clark Griswald blush. Recognizing the problem I was facing, “Mr. Fred” offered us his sled to use for the morning.

In the hours that followed, I had more fun with my family than any other time I can remember. We raced down hills, and their laughter echoed off ice covered live oaks. My wife, in awe of the moment, called it a “foundational memory” for our family.

I know she’s right, because my earliest memory as a child came during the famous Florida snowstorm of 1989. I can vividly recall the time I spent with my parents playing in the snow on the fields of Gadsden County. That day and this one, both made deep impressions.

For a brief moment, my first memory and my best new one were happening at the same time. Recognizing the scarcity of this miracle I gave it all the attention I could. I was standing in a Norman Rockwell painting. We were living the verses of a Robert Frost poem. It was Frank Sinatra singing “My Way”.

In other words, this day was perfect.

Jay Revell is president & chief storyteller at Revell Media and a co-author of the new book “Here is Tallahassee”.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Jay Revell: Tallahassee’s snowy miracle built foundational memories