The only comparison I can make to how I feel about the devastating tornado in Joplin last night is the way I felt on 9/11. This tornado, however, is much more personal. Even though I currently live 400 miles from Joplin, I feel as if this happened right down the street.
For 22 years, I lived within 40 miles of Joplin, and for those 22 years it was THE PLACE to go. Last night I heard it described on The Weather Channel as a small, quiet Southwest Missouri town. Yes, that may be true for most of the nation, but for me it was the epicenter of civilization.
If you wanted to shop, you went to Joplin.
If you wanted to eat at a nice restaurant, you went to Joplin.
If you wanted to have a wedding reception, you did it in Joplin
Despite having been exposed to tornadoes all my life and as crazy as it sounds, I always considered Joplin to be... indestructible. But unfortunately we all found out last night that it's not.
As I write this, the death toll is already at 90, and expected to go much higher than that. (To put that into perspective, the Greensburg EF-5 tornado that essentially wiped out an entire town only killed 13.) Nearly 2,000 buildings are destroyed, and an estimated 30% of the city is damaged.
It just doesn't seem possible for a city that I know so well to look like a war-zone.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Joplin, especially those who are searching for or have lost loved ones. And my deepest appreciation extends to the hundreds of volunteers and donors who are helping in this time of need.
Totally true, Rye. It is the epicenter of civilization for people of that area. Where are you and Keo moving?
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