The Evil Swirling Darkness

It was Sunday, May 22, 2011. Before the day was over, much of the city of Joplin, Missouri, would be in ruins. One hundred fifty-eight people would be dead and more than one thousand injured.

But as the day began, Ethan and Bennett Satterlee were thinking about a birthday party. It was Bennett’s 11th birthday, and both he and 7-year-old Ethan were excited for an afternoon pool party at their grandparents’ house.

Meanwhile, 230 miles away in Norman, Oklahoma, storm chaser Jeff Piotrowski [puh-TROW-skee] was worried. For more than 35 years, Piotrowski had been studying thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Tornadoes are hard to spot. Once a tornado forms, it cannot be seen, even by the most powerful radar. It remains hidden until it roars out of the storm clouds to destroy everything in its path. Piotrowski had just been tracking a dangerous storm system. He knew it might create tornadoes later that day. But exactly when? And where?

The Satterlee family lives in Joplin, Missouri. On Sunday, May 22, 2011, Ethan and Bennett Satterlee were excited for a party. It was Bennett’s 11th birthday. They were going to have a pool party at their grandparents’ house. But then they heard that there might be a thunderstorm later that day.

It was Sunday, May 22, 2011. Soon, much of the city of Joplin, Missouri, would be destroyed. One hundred fifty-eight people would be dead. More than one thousand would be injured.

But at the beginning of the day, Ethan and Bennett Satterlee were excited for a party. It was Bennett’s 11th birthday. Both he and 7-year-old Ethan were excited for a pool party at their grandparents’ house.

At the same time, 230 miles away, storm chaser Jeff Piotrowski [puh-TROW-skee] was worried. Piotrowski had been studying storms for more than 35 years.

Tornadoes are hard to spot. Once a tornado forms, it cannot be seen. Not even by the most powerful radar. It remains hidden. Then it roars out of the clouds to wreck everything in its path. Piotrowski had just been tracking a big storm system. He knew it might create tornadoes later that day. But exactly when? And where?

It was Sunday, May 22, 2011. Before the day was over, much of the city of Joplin, Missouri, would be in ruins. One hundred fifty-eight people would be dead and more than one thousand more injured. But earlier that day, what Ethan and Bennett Satterlee were thinking about was a birthday party.

It was Bennett’s 11th birthday, and both boys were excited for an afternoon pool party at their grandparents’ house. That morning after church, their mom, Shannon, had baked Bennett’s favorite vanilla cake. 

Bennett and 7-year-old Ethan had taken heaping spoonfuls of leftover vanilla icing into the yard, where they had devoured the sticky leftovers with strawberries plucked from the family’s garden.

As the brothers laughed under the hazy blue sky, neither had any idea that their city would soon be hit by one of the deadliest tornadoes in United States history.

Meanwhile, 230 miles away in Norman, Oklahoma, storm chaser Jeff Piotrowski was worried. For more than 35 years, Piotrowski had been studying supercell thunderstorms. These are the violent storms that sometimes unleash tornadoes.

Over the past few days, Piotrowski had been tracking a large and dangerous storm system that had been making its way east toward Kansas and Missouri. He could see that conditions were shaping up for dangerous tornadoes later that Sunday afternoon.

But exactly when would they strike? And where?

The Storm Chaser

The Storm Chaser

The Storm Chaser

Tornado Mysteries

Meteorologists believed that a tornado was most likely going to strike in Kansas, near the Missouri border. By 11 a.m., Piotrowski was in his truck, hoping to catch up with the storm by late afternoon.

Storm chasers like Piotrowski try to unlock the secrets of tornadoes. These men and women often provide early warnings that tornadoes are coming. This helps save lives. Over the years, Piotrowski has seen more than 850 tornadoes hit.

But he could not have imagined the horror of what was to come later that afternoon in Joplin.

At the same time, storm chaser Jeff Piotrowski [puh-TROW-skee] was worried. He thought the thunderstorm could turn into a tornado. Storm chasers like Piotrowski try to learn about tornadoes. He drove toward Joplin to follow the storm.

Meteorologists thought that a tornado was probably going to hit Kansas, near the Missouri border. By 11 a.m., Piotrowski was in his truck. He was hoping to catch up with the storm.

Storm chasers like Piotrowski try to unlock the secrets of tornadoes. These men and women can often warn people that storms are coming. This helps save lives. Piotrowski has seen more than 850 tornadoes hit.

But he could not have imagined the horror of what was to come later that afternoon in Joplin.

Today, meteorologists can predict many kinds of weather with amazing accuracy. They can tell you a week in advance whether your Little League game could be rained out or if you’ll need snow boots for recess.

Tornadoes, however, remain stubbornly mysterious. They almost always form inside supercells. But only 20 percent of supercells produce tornadoes, and it’s difficult to know which storms will launch killer twisters and which will fizzle out.

And once a tornado has formed within the roiling clouds of a supercell, it cannot be seen, even by the most powerful radar. Like secretive monsters coming to life inside dark caves, tornadoes remain completely hidden until they roar out of the storm clouds to devour everything in their paths.

Piotrowski and other forecasters believed that a tornado was most likely going to strike in eastern Kansas, near the border with Missouri. By 11 a.m., he and his wife, Kathryn, were in their Chevy Avalanche truck, hoping to catch up with the storm by late afternoon.

Some storm chasers are looking mainly for thrills, speeding after violent weather, hoping to capture awesome videos to post on YouTube. But others, like Piotrowski, are working to unravel the secrets of tornadoes. These men and women often provide early warnings that tornadoes are coming, which helps save lives. Over the years, Piotrowski has witnessed more than 850 tornado strikes.

But he could not have imagined the horror of what was to come later that afternoon in Joplin.

False Alarms?

False Alarms

False Alarms?

False Alarms

The Satterlees heard that severe thunderstorms were predicted for later that day. That was disappointing. They’d have to move the party from their grandparents’ pool back to their house.

Weather forecasts said that tornadoes were possible, but tornado alerts are common in Joplin. And the city hadn’t been hit by a major tornado in nearly 40 years. All those false alarms had led most people to ignore the sirens that warn of tornadoes. In fact, Bennett and Ethan had gone to their grandparents’ house to swim. By 4:30 p.m., Bennett had returned home. Everyone waited for Ethan to come home with his cousin Wyatt, uncle Frank, and aunt Sana.

At 5:11, Joplin’s tornado sirens rang out. Bennett’s mom called Uncle Frank. “We’re getting close,” he promised.

Weather forecasts in Joplin said tornadoes were possible. Joplin had a lot of tornado warnings. Sirens rang to warn people. But the city hadn’t seen a big tornado in 40 years. That’s why many people ignored the sirens.

Bennett and Ethan went swimming at their grandparents’ house. Then Bennett went home. The family waited for Ethan to come home too. He would come with his cousin Wyatt, uncle Frank, and aunt Sana.

The tornado sirens rang. Bennett’s mom called Uncle Frank. “We’re getting close,” he said.

The Satterlees heard that strong thunderstorms might happen later that day. That was disappointing. They’d have to have the party inside.

Weather forecasts said that tornadoes were possible. But tornado alerts are common in Joplin. And the city hadn’t been hit by a big tornado in almost 40 years. All those false alarms had led people to ignore tornado warnings. Bennett and Ethan had even gone to swim in their grandparents’ pool. By 4:30 p.m., Bennett was home. Everyone waited for Ethan to come home with his cousin Wyatt, uncle Frank, and aunt Sana.

At 5:11, Joplin’s tornado sirens rang out. Bennett’s mom called Uncle Frank. “We’re getting close,” he said.

Like most people in Joplin, the Satterlees heard that severe thunderstorms were predicted for later that day. That was disappointing; they’d have to move the party from poolside back to their house. Weather forecasts said that tornadoes were possible, but this was not unusual. Tornado alerts are common in Joplin. The city has 28 tornado sirens, which sound frequently in the spring.

But as of that Sunday, the city hadn’t been hit by a major tornado in nearly four decades. Years of false alarms had led most people to ignore the sirens. Few in the city were concerned when Sunday’s weather forecast for Joplin worsened. Stores were packed with shoppers. Playgrounds rang with kids’ shrieks and laughs. Bennett and Ethan headed to their grandparents for a pre-party swim. By 4:30 p.m., Bennett had returned home, and his relatives were arriving for the party. Guests nibbled on chips and salsa as they waited for Ethan to return home with his cousin Wyatt, Uncle Frank, and Aunt Sana.

At 5:11, Joplin’s tornado sirens rang out. Looking out the window, the Satterlees saw nothing but pouring rain. Another false alarm, it seemed.

Still, Bennett’s mom sent the kids to the basement and turned on the TV to monitor weather reports. She called Uncle Frank on his cell phone. “We’re getting close,” he promised.

No False Alarm

The Storm Hits

No False Alarm

Impossible to See

Piotrowski arrived in Joplin just a few minutes later. He was sure that a tornado was about to strike. As he drove through the city, all seemed calm. But then he spotted a gigantic gray cloud moving in. It was an enormous tornado.

Piotrowski called 911. By then, weather forecasters throughout the region realized that Joplin was in serious danger. At 5:31, Joplin’s sirens sounded again. It was unusual for the sirens to sound a second time so quickly. Most people understood that this was no false alarm.

Piotrowski got to Joplin. He saw a huge gray cloud. It was a tornado. He called 911. The sirens rang again. People understood that this wasn’t a false alarm.

The Satterlees ran into their basement. It had concrete walls. They used it as a tornado shelter. The tornado hit. It destroyed everything in its path. The Satterlees could hear their house being torn apart. They didn’t know where Ethan, Wyatt, Frank, and Sana were.

Piotrowski got to Joplin a few minutes later. He was sure that a tornado was about to strike. As he drove through the city, it seemed calm. But then he spotted a huge gray cloud. It was a tornado.

Piotrowski called 911. By then, weather forecasters realized that Joplin was in serious danger. At 5:31, Joplin’s sirens rang again. It was unusual for the sirens to sound a second time so soon. Most people understood that this was no false alarm.

The Piotrowskis arrived in Joplin just a few minutes later. Studying storm data on the laptop in his truck, Piotrowski was convinced that a tornado was about to strike. As he drove through the city’s historic downtown, all seemed calm at first. But then he spotted a gigantic gray cloud moving in from the west. He soon realized what he was seeing: an enormous tornado.

And it was getting bigger by the second. 

What made this tornado especially dangerous was that it was “rain-wrapped,” or hidden behind a curtain of rain clouds.

Piotrowski called 911, alerting authorities that a dangerous tornado was rushing toward southern Joplin. He spotted a police officer sitting in a parked patrol car. Piotrowski stopped his truck and leaped out.

“That’s a dangerous tornado!” he shouted, pointing up at the approaching gray cloud. “Get the sirens going! Get the sirens going!”

By then, weather forecasters throughout the region realized that Joplin was in grave danger. At 5:31, Joplin’s sirens sounded again. It was extremely unusual for the sirens to sound twice in such a short period of time. Most people understood that this was no false alarm.

An Awful Attack

An Awful Attack

Vicious Attack

The Satterlees and their guests ran into their basement storage room. It had concrete walls and they used it as their tornado shelter.

Outside, the tornado began attacking the city. Its 200-mile-per-hour winds destroyed brick buildings. It turned houses into piles of splintered wood and shattered glass. And it hurled cars and trucks thousands of feet.

From their basement shelter, the Satterlees and their guests could hear the heartbreaking sounds of their home being ripped apart. All they could think of was Ethan, Wyatt, Frank, and Sana. They were somewhere outside, caught in the evil swirling darkness.

The Satterlees and their guests ran into their basement storage room. It had concrete walls. They used it as their tornado shelter.

Outside, the tornado hit the city. Its 200-mile-per-hour winds wrecked brick buildings. It turned houses into piles of wood and broken glass. And it threw cars and trucks thousands of feet.

From their basement shelter, the Satterlees and their guests could hear their home being ripped apart. All they could think of was Ethan, Wyatt, Frank, and Sana. They were somewhere outside, caught in the evil swirling darkness.

All around the city, people rushed for shelter. The lucky ones headed to the safety of below-ground basements. Others crammed into closets or bathrooms away from windows and exterior walls. People sought safety in stores like Walmart and Home Depot. At fast-food restaurants, managers herded customers into walk-in refrigerators with strong metal walls. The Satterlees and their guests ran into their basement storage room, a concrete-walled space that doubled as their tornado shelter.

Outside, the tornado, still gaining strength, began its vicious attack on the city. The monstrous twister was now a staggering three quarters of a mile wide. Its 200-mile-per-hour winds pulverized brick buildings, turned houses into piles of splintered wood and shattered glass, and hurled cars and trucks thousands of feet. Walmart, Home Depot, and dozens of other stores and restaurants collapsed. Six schools, including Joplin High School, were destroyed.

From their basement shelter, the Satterlees and their guests could hear deafening crashes and thuds above them, the heartbreaking sounds of their home being ripped apart.

But it wasn’t the house they were thinking about. It was Ethan, Wyatt, Frank, and Sana. They were somewhere outside, caught in the evil swirling darkness.

The Greatest Gift

The Best Gift

The Greatest Gift

Healing a City

When the tornado had finally finished with Joplin, it left behind a trail of rubble 13 miles long. More than a thousand people were injured. The tornado, America’s deadliest in 60 years, killed 158 people.

But Uncle Frank’s truck finally appeared. Frank, Sana, Ethan, and Wyatt were all safe.

Ethan will likely never forget the awful moments when the tornado hit the truck. The window was smashed and glass sprayed over him. He feared he might never see his family again.

But when Bennett Satterlee looks back on his 11th birthday, he knows he received the greatest gift imaginable.

“My family survived the tornado,” he explains.

The tornado hurt more than a thousand people. It killed 158 people. It was America’s deadliest tornado in 60 years. The Satterlees came up to find their house wrecked. Uncle Frank’s truck finally appeared. Frank, Sana, Ethan, and Wyatt were all safe. Bennett Satterlee knew that he had gotten the best birthday gift ever. “My family survived the tornado,” he says.

When the tornado had finally left Joplin, it left behind a trail of rubble 13 miles long. More than a thousand people were hurt. The tornado was America’s deadliest in 60 years. It killed 158 people.

But Uncle Frank’s truck finally appeared. Frank, Sana, Ethan, and Wyatt were all safe.

Ethan will never forget the awful moments when the tornado hit the truck. The window was smashed and glass sprayed over him. He was afraid he might never see his family again.

But when Bennett Satterlee looks back on his 11th birthday, he knows he received the greatest gift imaginable.

“My family survived the tornado,” he says.

The Piotrowskis drove alongside the tornado, swerving to avoid flying debris, fallen telephone poles, and sizzling wires. They passed ruined buildings and smashed cars until they came upon a neighborhood that had been destroyed. What was once a street of tidy houses was now an endless sea of mangled ruins. They pulled over and were soon helping people who were trapped and injured.

Around this same time, the Satterlees emerged from the storage room to discover rain pouring through missing chunks of roof. Walls had collapsed. Furniture was smashed. Outside, neighbors’ houses were torn apart.

Frank’s truck was nowhere to be seen.

Minutes crept by. The family prayed for the safety of Uncle Frank, Aunt Sana, Ethan, and Wyatt. Ethan’s parents and other adults headed out into their neighborhood to search for people in need of help.

By then, the tornado had finally finished with Joplin, leaving behind a trail of rubble 13 miles long. More than a thousand people were injured. Neighbors helped neighbors, tearing through piles of wreckage with their bare hands to reach those who were trapped. Teenage boys turned their trucks into ambulances. Ethan’s parents assisted those in need, and so did the Piotrowskis.

“I knew we had witnessed one of the deadliest tornadoes in modern times,” Jeff says.

And it was. The tornado, America’s deadliest in 60 years, killed 158 people.

For the Satterlees, though, the day did not end in tragedy.

Uncle Frank’s truck finally appeared. The back window was shattered. The metal was dented and battered. But Frank, Sana, Ethan, and Wyatt were all safe.

Ethan knows that he will likely never forget the terrifying moments when the tornado gripped the truck, when the window was smashed and glass sprayed over him, when he feared he might never see his family again.

But four years later, sharing their stories from that day, the Satterlee boys do not dwell on their frightening memories or all that the family lost that day. They speak of the power of their faith, the strength of their community, and the generosity of the thousands of people from around the country who came to help heal their wounded city.

Looking back on his 11th birthday, Bennett knows he received the greatest gift imaginable.

“My family survived the tornado.”