54105222011

A tree as the title photo?

5.41pm a time

05 = May in US calendars

22= the date in May

2011=the year

Previous readers will recall my story in 2011, they may recall the video I made and distributed. They may recall the shirts I returned with.

They will be familiar with why I returned in 2012 this time taking my sister who had spent many years working in hospital based emergencies.

They will however not be familiar with why I am back, one simple explanation could surfice. Joplin Missouri is located on Route 66, infact it goes down historic Main St.

Having the opportunity to again be back I could not pass up the opportunity to try and renew old friendships.

I as a rescue worker am always actively looking at better ways of dealing with situations.

I in the same capacity have a long history of tracking events eg Katrina in New Orleans, the Lockibie bombing in Scotland being two that have helped me develop a far reaching understanding of how fellow man deals with disasters that they did not create but soon became a life changing part of their existence.

For new readers a very quick backtrack to 5.41pm May 22,2011. Joplin is located in what is often refered to as Tornado Alley in the US. Tornado's are rated according to the severity or force generated within a tornado. The higest level is EF5.

At 5.41pm a mile wide stretch of business,residential and the location of Mercy Hospital were devasated by an EF5 tornado. In 2011 when I arrived the death toll hovered around 124 deaths, when I returned on May 22,2012, the anniversay, the death toll was 141, in 2017 the official death toll is 161 citizens who are represented by 161 trees in Cunningham Park, off Maiden Lane cross of 26th Street or known locally as the former site of Mercy Hospital.

This section of my journey with the Indian wont focus on the disaster but instead the outcome of the reason behind the visit in 2017, to talk with as many survivors, business owners those not directly affected and gain a insight on how Joplin and it's citizens continue to rise above adversity while never losing sight of the immense hurt and physical losses they experienced.

The FF5 passed over Range Line Road, therefore my motel is Econo Lodge at 3510 Range Line Road ideally situating me geographically and socially for my visit.

Physically I was soon riding out to Indiana Ave where my 2011 time began so to say back home at Joplin High School, at first I had problems orientating myself, gone was the structure that stood before, no white SUV smashed against the boundary fence, no basketball hoops bent at 180o instead a massive ultra modern new school many times larger and with extensive playing fields, however I knew I was in the correct place as work has still not finished as is evidenced in most of the tornado belt.

Locating a former student she told me of the delight in returning, having left to attend school in Chicago but gladly returning to finish schooling at the new facilities abit not with all her old classmates.

A middle aged woman spoke at great length,but then suddently cut the conversation as the hurt returned, She relayed how she had left her one year old at home, only a 5 minute drive away, with her 71 &73 year old grandparents and her younger sister. She literally saw trees in the sky and having come from a military family that moved frequently soon realised what was happening and after the tornado passed she immediately left for home. Over 5 frantic hours later, yes 5 hours, she arrived to a block of concrete the foundations and a small pile of rubbish where the bathroom had been. She began calling out and soon others came to assist her and out of the kaos a neighbour gave her the news.

Your family all survived! She could not recall what was said next and eventually they were reunited. After 6 months in a motel the house was replaced. That's where I live now, not home just our house.

Its is funny how some small feature sticks in your mind and one such experience I remember was apart from the food offered at the volunteer tent in 2011 little infact only one paying place appeared to be operating so I fronted up to a 1960's styled Soda Fountain small building and was serving as if nothing had changed. Well yesterday I could not locate that place perhaps as it was already surrounded by more modern structures which incidentally had crumbled so maybe it had gone but then I could not locate the Walmart that by 2012 had been rebuilt.

Today a far widening ride located Joplin's original Frozen Custard joint. I parked the Indian and went to the window Don opened the window, we chatted over a Hot Fudge Sundae with nuts about the events of 2011 and since and agreed to keep in contact. Yes another reunion was completed.

While there customers came and went after a "brief chat"with the Aussie.

Another couple had lost their home ,vehicles and pets except the treasured 2006 Harley which had suffered extensive panel damage. There greatest worry had been looters who literally by the 24th stripped any remaining items even the kitchen sink.

The Harley was destined to be lost as they noted the local Harley dealer with truck removing the debris off the Harley and when approached they claimed "we were going to take it back to our undamaged shop to look after it for you". I note that Harley Joplin no longer exists instead new owners have not only a new name (Hideout Harley Davidson) but also a new location.

Don also relayed the story of widespread looting some taking place just down the road from his business at Academy Sports & Outdoors where members of emergency services took "needed articles such as generators and chainsaws"only to have these appear for cash sales at highly inflated prices. Gladly I report such persons received jail terms.

Northpark Crossing on Range Line Road and 4th Street had not suffered any damage so I had visited it in 2011 and established contact with a group of young people raising money for relief and had renewed my efforts with them in 2012 so I returned. Not all goes to plan the stand they had was now longer instead replaced by Asians selling phone accessories so no contact. Sitting in the customer lounge soon established contact with a former Vietnam veteran and his grandson and so all was not lost.

I have a youtube video or at this blog site under videos Joplin with music.

http://youtu.be/wkemldzdwEk

I also spoke with a older gentleman and asisted him to arrange to have his brothers photo posted in the Malls Hall of Honour.

I have not mentioned all the results of my conversations, such as the volunteers who like me had returned and their visit to Cunningham Park lasted over an hour as I gained an insight into their roles in distributing clothing to community members, while learning a little about ranching in Kansas.

Much of what transposed from those conversations is still a raw nerve that while rebuilding has occured and often this was quickly done, time still has not healed the feelings of lost experienced but the future looks good for Joplin again.

A city with the unofficial motto "strength and hope" as city citizens arose from the rubble and began building a new city, while honouring the past.

Let me finish with reference to the title photo a tree but not just any tree. This tree I first photographed in 2011 as a symbol of both life and death,but above all a survivor. In the words of a Joplin citizen "the trees put forth new leaves to sing in joy beneath the sky".

This photo is not a repeat of the 2011 photo but the same tree in 2017 still alive but still struggling to regain its past beauty.