A year ago today, the city of Joplin, Missouri changed. The May 22 tornado not only brought a community together to rebuild and recover, but a nation. Volunteers and donations were sent to Joplin from around the nation and from around the world. Today is a day of remembrance and reflection. Take a few moments to remember those who were lost and reflect on the lessons and triumphs of the last year.

Each individual was affected by the tornado differently. Some lost friends and relatives, other lost their home, and many endured being relocated as their school is being rebuilt. Personally, my former Spanish professor from Missouri Southern State University, Jose Alvarez, lost his life in the storm. He was one of 161 killed that evening. Today we remember them all as Joplin Remembers, Rejoices, and Rebuilds.

Jose Alvarez

Ma De Lourdes Alverez-Torres

Barbara Anderson

Sarah Anderson

William Anderson

Grace Aquino

Dale Arsenault

Cyrus Ash

Bruce Baillie

Robert M. Baker

Robert E. Bateson

Dorothy Bell

Regina Bloxham

Barbara Boyd

Lathe E. Bradford

Burnice Bresee

Romona Bridgeford

Leo E. Brown

Hugh Odell Buttram

Tami Campbell

Moises N. Carmona

Arriyinnah Carmona

Shante Caton

Trenton Caton

Raymond Chew

Clyde Coleman

Carolane Collins

Lois A. Comfort

Keenan K. Conger

James V. “Jim” Cookerly

Edmond Cooper

Vicki Cooper

Alice Cope

Teddy Copher

Malisa Crossley

Adam Darnaby

Patricia Dawson

Michael Dennis

Nancy Douthitt

Ellen Doyle

Faith Dunn

Amanda Eastwood-Pryor

Richard Elmore

Randy Edward England

Mark L. Farmer

Ida Finley

Betty Joe Fisher

Robert Fitzgerald

Rick E. Fox

Marsha Frost

Sebastian Frost

Charles Gaudsmith

Billy Gideon

Robert Griffin

Stephen Haack-Stephens

Paul E. Haddock

Johnna Hale

Leola Hardin

Caley Lantz Hare

Dorthoy Hartman

Deann Hayward

Judy R. Head

Kenneth J. Henson

Glenn Holland

Lorie Holland

Charlotte Hopwood

Harli Howard

Hayze Howard

Russell T. Howard

Iona Hull

Wendy A. Istas

Jane Jaynes

Melissa Johnson

Dorothy M. Johnston

Cheryl L. Jones

Kathy Keling

James Kendrick

Abraham Khoury

Stanley Kirk

Geneva Koler

Tedra Kuhn

Donald Lansaw

Bruce Lievens

Billie Sue Little

Skyler Logson

Christopher Lucas

Patricia Mann

Rachel Markham

Nancy A. Martin

Janice McKee

Jesse L. McKee

James McKeel

Mary McKeel

Ladonna S. McPurdy

Randall Mell

Angelina A. Menapace

Ronald D. Meyer

Lorna K. Miller

Ray Donald Miller

Suzanne M. Mock

Doris M. Montgomery

Edith L. Moore

Esterlita Moore

Sally Moulton

Georgia N. Mulkey

Edmund Mullaney

Sharyl Nelson

William Norton

Dennis Osborne

Charles Oster

Shirley Parker

Nicole Pearish

Mary Perry

James Benjamin John Peterson

Anna Pettek

John Petty

Hallie Piquard

Natalie Puebla

Shelly Ramsey

Lorretta L. Randell

Troy Raney

Cheryl Rantz

Darlene Ray

Virgil T. Reid

Johnny Richey

Vicki Robertson

Cayla Robinson

Keith Robinson

Margaret E. Rowe

Virginia Salmon

Thomas Sarino

Grace Saunders

Tanya Sawyer

Fracis Scates

Gladys Seay

Dan Shirley

Judy L. Smith

Luther Smith

Nicholas Smith

Shyrell Smith

Lois L. Sparks

Betty Stogsdill

Ralph Stover

JT Strickland

Gregan Sweet

Jefferson (Jeff) Taylor

Kayleigh Teal

Heather Terry

John R. Thomas, Jr.

Sandra Thomas

Zach Treadwell

Margaret A. Tutt

Michael E. Tyndall

Darian Vanderhoofen

Joshua D. Vanderhoofen

Miguel Vazquez-Castillo

Martha Jane Webb

Miles D. Wells

Tiera Whitley

Douglas Williams

Zach Williams

Charles Writer