FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – During the summer of 1980 the nation wanted to know ‘Who shot JR?’  The ‘Empire’ was striking back at the movie theater, and in North Texas the greatest heat wave on record was in full force.

That summer saw 42 days in a row of triple digit heat at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Fast-forward 31 years later and this year’s heat wave is bringing back memories.  “REO Speedwagon was my favorite,” says Kurt Smith, who lives in North Richland Hills “I loved all their songs!”

Smith says he can’t get the 80’s out of his mind, and has help from old pictures and old records.  “It was hot!,” says Smith “It was real hot. I will never forget that.”

Smith hopes to turn the blistering heat into a profit.  He created a t-shirt that says “I survived the heat wave of 2011.”

Monday afternoon he went to Promo Planet in Fort Worth to turn his idea into reality.  The unemployed entrepreneur ordered 500 t-shirts.

“I remember ‘I survived the heat wave of 1980’ t-shirt and thought why not do it now,” explains Smith.

He is hoping to sell the shirts around Fort Worth for $10.  “I think I’ll look back and think ‘we did make it through it,’” says Rick Gulley with Promo Planet, who plans on wearing one of the t-shirts. “Like we did in 1980.”

Hurricane Allen hitting the South Texas coast finally broke the heat streak in early August of 1980.  Smith just hopes he won’t have to be ‘Ridin’ the Storm Out’ much longer this time around either.

To order a T-shirt, e-mail Smith at kds1955@charter.net or call 817-675-2025.