Joplin, Mo. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) - One year ago, a tornado tore across the city of Joplin, Missouri. The tornado killed161 people and more than 8,000 homes and businesses were destroyed.
“Normal is not normal for Joplin Missouri, but one day it will be,” said Randy Steele Joplin school board president.
Joplin High School was one of those buildings reduced to debris. This year, students were moved to makeshift classrooms inside the Northpark
Mall.
“We were able to realize that no matter what the building was like, you know, it was the people that mattered,” said Danielle Campbell, senior. “It was really a great thing.”
Last night, at the class of 2012's graduation, President Obama returned to celebrate Joplin's outstanding recovery.
Obama noted how the city of 50,000 people is rising again thanks to more than 130,000 volunteers from around the world.
“The story of Joplin isn't just the story of what happened the next day,” Obama said.
“It's the story of what happened the next day, and the day after that. And all the days and weeks and months that followed.”
The storm resulted in more than $2.8 billion in damage. While the city is being rebuilt, it will take time. Evidence of what happened in Joplin is still visible.
However, another graduate, Clare Davis, insists she wouldn't have changed anything about her senior year.
“I wouldn't trade my high school experience for anything else and I wouldn't trade the people that I spent it with for anything else,” Davis said. “It's been awesome.”
Tuesday’ solemn remembrances will be punctuated by a moment of silence at 5:41 p.m., which is the time that historic tornado roared through Joplin.
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