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A massive cleanup effort is underway
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
Aid delivery arrives at Community Clinic of Joplin
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
“The only way to comprehend the force of this tornado is to stand amid the ruins, see trees stripped of their bark.” —Debbi Morello, AmeriCares volunteer
Don Atteberry, 89, and daughter Beth Reineke heard the sirens, but the Joplin tornado struck in an instant. ''My two little dogs were out in my car,'' Beth said. ''I tried to get them, but dad pulled me back screaming, ‘No, you can’t!’'' The 6'2'' father put his daughter on the floor, protecting her by covering her with his own body. When it was all over, they
stood in disbelief amid the wreckage. ''We shouldn’t be here,'' Don said. Fortunately, Beth's dogs were safe and sound after the storm.
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
American flags mark the destruction.
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
“In minutes, a section of this city was swept away.” – Jessica Ginger
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
Lewis Getchell, 92, and his wife, Oleta, rode out the tornado in car parked inside their garage.
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
Lisa Bowyer looks inside what is left of her daughter, Whitney's car. Whitney was in the car in front of their Joplin home when the deadly tornado ripped through their neighborhood. ''Whitney was screaming on the phone and then the line went dead. I never thought I'd see her again,'' Lisa said. Although the Bowyer’s home is destroyed, Lisa said, ''This is just stuff – I have my Whitney and my husband – we didn’t lose what matters most.''
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
The heavily damaged St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin
Photo by Debbi Morello.
Photo by Debbi Morello.
“We held on to each other for dear life,” explained Oleta Getchell, 91 standing outside her destroyed home where she and her husband, Lewis, 92, rode out the tornado in their car parked inside the garage. “The garage door and rafters crashed on top of us and the car was jumping up and down.” It may have been the weight of the garage door and debris that kept the car from being thrown by the tornado, protecting them both from harm.
Photo by Debbi Morello.
Photo by Debbi Morello.
AmeriCares tetanus vaccine distribution.
Photo by Debbi Morello.
Photo by Debbi Morello.
Emergency response expert Jessica Ginger during Tetanus vaccine distribution.
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
Access Family Clinic drove through neighborhoods offering AmeriCares-donated tetanus vaccines to rescue workers and survivors.
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
Susan Brown getting Tetanus shot from Access Family Health clinic staff
Photo by Debbi Morello
Photo by Debbi Morello
