What we once knew as a beautiful and peaceful town that has been known for tornadoes passing by was hit by a tornado that will never be forgotten. Not only the lives of the Joplin residents were changed forever, but even the people around the nation were changed. Images and videos were seen of a portion of a town that looked like a war zone where houses were no longer standing and in complete rumble, trees completely stripped of their leaves, bark, and most limbs, large buildings built with concrete were cracked and shifted. This was as chilling to see as what the people in Tuscaloosa saw. The track of the tornado was short, but the damage path was very wide.
Among the aftermath of the wreckage, the lives of Joplin residence were not only changed because of the loss of their belongings, but the loss of the estimated 160 lives that were taken away that day. The 7th deadliest tornado in U.S. history changed the lives of the people who were involved with the deaths.
People look back a year ago on what happened and where their lives are now. High school students graduated on the 1 year anniversary of the tornado and were all able to meet President Obama who gave the commencement address. Even with the destruction of the high school, students, families, and friends did not lose hope on recovery and neither did Someone special and powerful above us. The sign of that was left on the schools sign. One sign around the school was left with "OP HIGH SCHOOL". The J, L, I, and N were ripped off the sign, but all that was needed was the O and the P because with those it helped spell what the town was feeling.
Although the town continues to rebuild and recover after the tornado, they will never forgot the things they saw.
