Joplin: Emerging From The Rubble

Joplin, Missouri Emerging From The Rubble

On May 22, 2011 the lives of the people of Joplin, Missouri, were changed forever as an EF-5 tornado struck around dinner time, crushing nearly a third of the city. It pounded about 5,000 buildings, knocked out power and cellphone service for many, and damaged water treatment and sewage plants. The tangled remains of cars and trucks were overturned and thrown against buildings and trees. Some blocks were jagged mounds of debris, while others were stripped to utter emptiness: just foundations of homes and tree trunks — no leaves, no branches, no bark. A city changed forever and 160 lives lost, a number that may still rise as others succumb to wounds and illness. The list of the missing totaled 1,500 – and slowly dwindled as people were rescued and the fate of many confirmed. As the people of Joplin pull themselves out of the rubble and put their lives back together, there is a strong spirit of hope, as midwestern love meets survivors guilt to drive a surge of selflessness, those with something left sharing with those who have nothing.

Another Storm Approaches

Tom Hatfield smokes a cigarette as he and friend Bonnie McMullen leave before another storm rolls in after trying to salvage photos and clothes at Hatfield's mother's house after a tornado destroyed it in Joplin, Mo., May 23, 2011. The twister, which touched down Sunday evening, killed 160 people spreading its destruction over a wide swath of the town, ripping apart buildings and cars and touching off fires.

$Tom Hatfield smokes a cigarette as he and friend Bonnie McMullen leave before another storm rolls in after trying to salvage photos and clothes at Hatfield\'s mother\'s house after a tornado destroyed it in Joplin, Mo., May 23, 2011. The twister, which touched down Sunday evening, killed 160 people spreading its destruction over a wide swath of the town, ripping apart buildings and cars and touching off fires.$ $Tom Hatfield smokes a cigarette as he and friend Bonnie McMullen leave before another storm rolls in after trying to salvage photos and clothes at Hatfield\'s mother\'s house after a tornado destroyed it in Joplin, Mo., May 23, 2011. The twister, which touched down Sunday evening, killed 160 people spreading its destruction over a wide swath of the town, ripping apart buildings and cars and touching off fires.$

Raising Morale

Tim Slocombe and his son Eliajah, 16, raise an American flag into the air on a tree flagpole in the aftermath of an EF-5 tornado that hit in the the center of Joplin, Mo. "It's for morale," Slocombe told his son. The storm flatted over 9,000 homes and businesses and left at least 162 dead.Tim Slocombe and his son Eliajah, 16, raise an American flag into the air on a tree flagpole in the aftermath of a tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, killing dozens and leaving a path of devastation in its path as seen on Monday, May 23, 2011.

$Tim Slocombe and his son Eliajah, 16, raise an American flag into the air on a tree flagpole in the aftermath of an EF-5 tornado that hit in the the center of Joplin, Mo. \$ $Tim Slocombe and his son Eliajah, 16, raise an American flag into the air on a tree flagpole in the aftermath of an EF-5 tornado that hit in the the center of Joplin, Mo. \$

Dark Scar

As the sun rises after the tornado destroyed homes and ripped the branches off trees, St. Johns Hospital became visible from parts of Joplin where it had never been seen before, a dark scar of the storm which lingered at the building as it tore through town. At least five people at the hospital were killed as a backup generator failed, leaving ventilators and other medical equipment without power in dark rooms and nearly everyone cut by shattered glass.Saint Johns Hospital in the aftermath of a tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, killing dozens and leaving a path of devastation in its path as seen on Monday, May 23, 2011.

Fear of the Unknown

Sara Thomas cries after fearing the worst fate of her friend's four children who lived in a house destroyed by the EF-5 tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri. It was later learned that the children survived the storm by taking refuge at a neighbors home.Sara Thomas reacts to the uncertain fate of her friend's four children who lived in a house destroyed by the EF-5 tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, killing at least 162 people and leaving a path of devastation, as seen on Monday, May 23, 2011. It was later learned that the children survived the storm by taking refuge at a neighbors home.

$Sara Thomas cries after fearing the worst fate of her friend\'s four children who lived in a house destroyed by the EF-5 tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri. It was later learned that the children survived the storm by taking refuge at a neighbors home.Sara Thomas reacts to the uncertain fate of her friend\'s four children who lived in a house destroyed by the EF-5 tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, killing at least 162 people and leaving a path of devastation, as seen on Monday, May 23, 2011. It was later learned that the children survived the storm by taking refuge at a neighbors home.$ $Sara Thomas cries after fearing the worst fate of her friend\'s four children who lived in a house destroyed by the EF-5 tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri. It was later learned that the children survived the storm by taking refuge at a neighbors home.Sara Thomas reacts to the uncertain fate of her friend\'s four children who lived in a house destroyed by the EF-5 tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, killing at least 162 people and leaving a path of devastation, as seen on Monday, May 23, 2011. It was later learned that the children survived the storm by taking refuge at a neighbors home.$

Searching For Mrs. Fisher

Neighbors and volunteers search in the rain for 86-year-old Betty Fisher, who was confined to her bed when the tornado struck Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, as seen on Monday evening, May 23, 2011. Fisher did not survive the tornado.

A neighborhood reduced to rubble

Tim Slocombe looks back towards Saint Johns Hospital while checking houses for survivors in the aftermath of a tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, on Monday, May 23, 2011.

Risen

Kristofer Provins looks through what remains at his destroyed apartment as the sun sets in Joplin, Missouri on Wednesday, May 25, 2011. Neighbors had reported him to have been killed in the storm, but he in fact lived by taking shelter in the Wal-Mart store nearby after leaving his home.Kristofer Provins, who was reported by neighbors to have been killed in the storm but lived by taking shelter in the Wal-Mart store nearby after leaving his home, looks through what remains at his destroyed apartment in Joplin, Missouri on Wednesday, May 25, 2011.

Reunited

Patti Johnson is reunited with her friend Susan Eck as she looks through what is left of her bathroom for jewelry and other heirlooms in the aftermath of a tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, killing at least 162 people and leaving a path of devastation, as seen on Tuesday, May 24, 2011.

Earth, Wind, Fire

A fire burns what remains of Steve Miller's rental property on 16th Street, a day after his tenants removed the last of their property in the aftermath of the worst tornado in decades on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 in Joplin, Mo. The cause of the fire was unknown.

$A fire burns what remains of Steve Miller\'s rental property on 16th Street, a day after his tenants removed the last of their property in the aftermath of the worst tornado in decades on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 in Joplin, Mo. The cause of the fire was unknown.$ $A fire burns what remains of Steve Miller\'s rental property on 16th Street, a day after his tenants removed the last of their property in the aftermath of the worst tornado in decades on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 in Joplin, Mo. The cause of the fire was unknown.$

Taking Shelter

Pittsburg State graduate nurse Brie Watson directs people to the stairwells as they seek shelter inside the basement of the Red Cross shelter at the Missouri Southern State University gymnasium in Joplin, Missouri Tuesday night as another storm passes nearby. Sunday's tornado resulted in the death of over a hundred people and leaving a path of devastation. Chuck Ciancanelli, left, said he thought he had made it through the worst of the storm. Then a car bumper crashed through his window and onto his kitchen counter.

$Pittsburg State graduate nurse Brie Watson directs people to the stairwells as they seek shelter inside the basement of the Red Cross shelter at the Missouri Southern State University gymnasium in Joplin, Missouri Tuesday night as another storm passes nearby. Sunday\'s tornado resulted in the death of over a hundred people and leaving a path of devastation. Chuck Ciancanelli, left, said he thought he had made it through the worst of the storm. Then a car bumper crashed through his window and onto his kitchen counter.$ $Pittsburg State graduate nurse Brie Watson directs people to the stairwells as they seek shelter inside the basement of the Red Cross shelter at the Missouri Southern State University gymnasium in Joplin, Missouri Tuesday night as another storm passes nearby. Sunday\'s tornado resulted in the death of over a hundred people and leaving a path of devastation. Chuck Ciancanelli, left, said he thought he had made it through the worst of the storm. Then a car bumper crashed through his window and onto his kitchen counter.$

Water Damaged

Water damaged photographs rest inside of a car in Hampshire Terrace apartments among the aftermath of a tornado that hit Sunday afternoon in the the center of Joplin, Missouri, killing over a hundred people and leaving a path of devastation, as seen on Tuesday, May 24, 2011.

Without a Home

Amber Spradley and her niece Jakala Sherrick, 2, and her friend's son Tayvionne Meeker, 3, rest after being forced from their homes that were destroyed by Sunday's storm, leaving them with few possessions in the Red Cross shelter at Missouri Southern State University in the aftermath of the worst tornado in decades on Friday, May 27, 2011. Spradley saved the lives of Sherrick and Meeker when she was babysitting them by hiding inside the bathroom and shielding them with her body when the storm hit.

$Amber Spradley and her niece Jakala Sherrick, 2, and her friend\'s son Tayvionne Meeker, 3, rest after being forced from their homes that were destroyed by Sunday\'s storm, leaving them with few possessions in the Red Cross shelter at Missouri Southern State University in the aftermath of the worst tornado in decades on Friday, May 27, 2011. Spradley saved the lives of Sherrick and Meeker when she was babysitting them by hiding inside the bathroom and shielding them with her body when the storm hit.$ $Amber Spradley and her niece Jakala Sherrick, 2, and her friend\'s son Tayvionne Meeker, 3, rest after being forced from their homes that were destroyed by Sunday\'s storm, leaving them with few possessions in the Red Cross shelter at Missouri Southern State University in the aftermath of the worst tornado in decades on Friday, May 27, 2011. Spradley saved the lives of Sherrick and Meeker when she was babysitting them by hiding inside the bathroom and shielding them with her body when the storm hit.$

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