Joplin, Missouri Tornado

[Darth Cruel]

OK...so I am at Wal-Mart on Range Line in Joplin yesterday. I was just minding my own business buying socks. Then I went to a Casino a short distance from the motel that I am staying at about a mile or so South of that Wal-Mart. After I was there for about an hour...somebody came in and said that Joplin had been hit hard by a tornado. I was done giving money to the casino so I went back to the motel only to find that a few short blocks North of the motel, the majority of the area of Joplin where I have been hanging out for the last two weeks is gone...including the Wal-Mart that I was in about two hours prior to that. So far, there are 89 people confirmed as have perished, my coworker who lives in Joplin, the last I heard, is still looking for his daughter and sister who both lived in the damaged area, and I have never felt so impotent and worthless in my life. I went up to volunteer last night, but they told me they didn't need me...I mean...I am not a doctor, but I can take orders and lift heavy ____...but tomorrow when they anticipated the call for voluteers would go out, I will try again.

 

[devilof76]

Reading this post makes me feel pretty much the same.

 

[BadMoon]

OK...so I am at Wal-Mart on Range Line in Joplin yesterday. I was just minding my own business buying socks. Then I went to a Casino a short distance from the motel that I am staying at about a mile or so South of that Wal-Mart. After I was there for about an hour...somebody came in and said that Joplin had been hit hard by a tornado. I was done giving money to the casino so I went back to the motel only to find that a few short blocks North of the motel, the majority of the area of Joplin where I have been hanging out for the last two weeks is gone...including the Wal-Mart that I was in about two hours prior to that. So far, there are 89 people confirmed as have perished, my coworker who lives in Joplin, the last I heard, is still looking for his daughter and sister who both lived in the damaged area, and I have never felt so impotent and worthless in my life. I went up to volunteer last night, but they told me they didn't need me...I mean...I am not a doctor, but I can take orders and lift heavy ____...but tomorrow when they anticipated the call for voluteers would go out, I will try again.

Glad you are ok!

 

[The Josh]

Yeah, things are really bad down there. My dad is down there as a medical responder (paramedic) and said the destruction is 100x worse than the tv shows. He's actually on his way to feyetville Arkansas with a patient that they can't fly because of the weather. He's not sure when he will be home.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

Glad you're okay, DC. My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims.

 

[devilof76]

Keep us updated if you can DC, and stay safe.

 

[BuffyGirl]

That is so scary, and so sad. But also a bit of joy as lives were spared. I am thankful you were directed away from there. I will definitely pray for your city and the people who are greatly affected.

 

[The Ween]

OK...so I am at Wal-Mart on Range Line in Joplin yesterday. I was just minding my own business buying socks. Then I went to a Casino a short distance from the motel that I am staying at about a mile or so South of that Wal-Mart. After I was there for about an hour...somebody came in and said that Joplin had been hit hard by a tornado. I was done giving money to the casino so I went back to the motel only to find that a few short blocks North of the motel, the majority of the area of Joplin where I have been hanging out for the last two weeks is gone...including the Wal-Mart that I was in about two hours prior to that. So far, there are 89 people confirmed as have perished, my coworker who lives in Joplin, the last I heard, is still looking for his daughter and sister who both lived in the damaged area, and I have never felt so impotent and worthless in my life. I went up to volunteer last night, but they told me they didn't need me...I mean...I am not a doctor, but I can take orders and lift heavy ____...but tomorrow when they anticipated the call for voluteers would go out, I will try again.

I'm so glad you're all right!

I was just watching a short time ago on the weather channel all the destruction that was left. So sad. I hope your co-worker finds his family members!

 

[darthviper107]

My Mom's best friend lives up there with her family and her daughter (who I went to high school with) was in the path of the tornado. She and her family were in their house as it was destroyed around them. They're fine and luckily since her parents live by they've got a place to stay since their house is gone.

My mom was freaking out because they had a livestream after the tornado and the area that's destroyed is really huge. She couldn't reach anyone on the phone for a while but managed to get a hold of them to find that they were OK.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Glad you're okay, DC. My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims.

 

[agen_kolar]

When I got back from China this past week, my mom told me I lost three family members in the Alabama tornado outbreak. I wasn't particularly close to them, but it still sucks. Damn tornadoes. My thoughts will be with those who lost everything, family members, as well as those helping with the relief efforts.

 

[The Josh]

DC glad you're ok. Didn't say that earlier. Glad everyone down there that is ok is ok.

Sounds like they're going to keep the help down there at least one more day. Dad said that they're not sure anyone in the lowes down there made it out alive and that there's a chance that they didn't get all the babies out of the neonatal unit.

 

[KillKen]

Crikey mate that's insane, glad your ok thou.

 

[mr.thrifty]

WoW!!! that's some F'd up weather......


Glad you're ok DC.....

 

[ProgMatinee]

What is going on with the MnFn planet? Seriously. Hard to think its just a string of unrelated incidents.

I hope things are ok with your coworker's family.

 

[Avenger]

It's amazing how many people are tied to that town. I live about 75 miles east of Joplin and have been through it many times. I've seen two towns nearby leveled by tornadoes. Lived here all my life and never seen one myself. It's how they are. Kind of like earthquakes you get used to the threat of them, and they become a part of life. And, you imagine the devastation they can inflict. But, you don't really understand it till you've experienced it.

I recall driving through Stockton Mo, who got hit a few years back. Trees with 3 ft trunks had been uprooted whole and thrown hundreds of yards away and laid on their sides in the middle of fields. Both sides of the road, all there was was broken homes and businesses. It was like driving through the city dump, like piles of trash were built up there over years. Except, it only took minutes and that trash were the lives these people had built up over years and year. It truly is sobering. The news likes to use the words "war zone". I think it's probably as close a description as you can get. I had been through the town just 2 days before, and nothing I had seen then was there when I returned.

There's nothing more eerie than those storm sirens going off. You carefully go through the routine of taking cover in a hallway and turning on the local news station, and think to yourself how small the chances are of one of them moving through your neighborhood. The cold fact is, if one like the one that went through Joplin does, the popsicle sticks your house are made of are all that stands between you and it. It's an awesome and powerful force that demands respect, no doubt.

Stuff can be replaced though, and houses rebuilt. I'll be praying for the town and folks that live there. I hope as many happy endings as can be had, will be.

 

[daikkenaurora]

Work was extra busy because our Joplin location was out of power. People do seem to be okay there.

 

[gibby]

Good to hear you're ok, DC.

Stay safe and be careful.

 

[Darth Cruel]

Thanks everyone! Both for me and for the thoughts of those who were a lot less fortunate than I was. I worked a split shift today because we had not heard from my co-worker. But he turned up and his relatives are unhurt. But they did lose their houses as pretty much everyone did in the path of that tornado. I wish I could be helping right now. But I will have to settle for getting there after this shift ends in the morning.

 

[Jen]

Glad you are ok. I really hope your co-worker finds his family. I can't imagine the pain and fear he must be going through. My thoughts are with you and all those affected by this.