May 22, 2011 as the whole world knows, is now a national tragedy marking the day that Joplin was destroyed by a monstrous tornado. I used to live right in the path of the destruction. I remember sirens going off when I was young and we would have to run 3 doors down and crawl under a neighbors house into their "crawl space". Not a basement, but literally a dirty, filthy, spider infested space to crawl.
We did that several times. But I really don't think there would have been much time to do that with this one. I lived at 3033 Indiana, and at 2626 Minnesota. Both homes are gone now. The high school, then called, Parkwood High School, more currently Joplin High School is gone....Dillon's grocery store, where I learned to be a checker, is gone. I put myself through college working there. So many friends have lost their homes. Not only that, but in a lot of cases, they can't even go stay at their parents or relatives home, because they too have suffered devastating losses. I can't get it off my mind. Miles and miles of decimation. I think I read a blog or an article that said, "Six Blocks of homes destroyed". Um, NO...I'm afraid it's more like 6 miles, I've even heard 13 miles. MILES...not BLOCKS.
To all of my friends in Joplin, I'm so sorry, just so, so sorry. I know only money makes things better now, but it will never replace all you lost. I'm excited to see how you all are going to turn this around and make it into something amazing!? Maybe people will move short term to towns like, Lamar, Carthage, Jasper?? That would be so great for the people living in those communities, because Lamar, where I was born, is like a ghost town right now. Buildings and no people. Joplin, people and no buildings!? It would be amazing to see both bounce back!? C'mon midwest, I'm rooting for you!!!
Thank you for NOT wailing in the streets causing commotions and screaming for someone else to come and FIX EVERYTHING FOR YOU!!! That is NOT the spirit of the towns I grew up in. You will survive, you will come back better than ever, and I pray the pioneer spirit would rise up inside of all of you, you will circle the wagons...oops, I mean, build some wagons...then circle them and be AMAZING!!!!
Love you all,
Marcie
We did that several times. But I really don't think there would have been much time to do that with this one. I lived at 3033 Indiana, and at 2626 Minnesota. Both homes are gone now. The high school, then called, Parkwood High School, more currently Joplin High School is gone....Dillon's grocery store, where I learned to be a checker, is gone. I put myself through college working there. So many friends have lost their homes. Not only that, but in a lot of cases, they can't even go stay at their parents or relatives home, because they too have suffered devastating losses. I can't get it off my mind. Miles and miles of decimation. I think I read a blog or an article that said, "Six Blocks of homes destroyed". Um, NO...I'm afraid it's more like 6 miles, I've even heard 13 miles. MILES...not BLOCKS.
To all of my friends in Joplin, I'm so sorry, just so, so sorry. I know only money makes things better now, but it will never replace all you lost. I'm excited to see how you all are going to turn this around and make it into something amazing!? Maybe people will move short term to towns like, Lamar, Carthage, Jasper?? That would be so great for the people living in those communities, because Lamar, where I was born, is like a ghost town right now. Buildings and no people. Joplin, people and no buildings!? It would be amazing to see both bounce back!? C'mon midwest, I'm rooting for you!!!
Thank you for NOT wailing in the streets causing commotions and screaming for someone else to come and FIX EVERYTHING FOR YOU!!! That is NOT the spirit of the towns I grew up in. You will survive, you will come back better than ever, and I pray the pioneer spirit would rise up inside of all of you, you will circle the wagons...oops, I mean, build some wagons...then circle them and be AMAZING!!!!
Love you all,
Marcie
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