Kari and Justin Nevins love Joplin and prior to the tornado, their home was known as “the neighborhood’s house,” where kids could play, have refreshments and hang out. There’s a beautiful healing garden out back that the family can share with their neighbors. There’s a wall of photos commemorating the family that was lost and the ones who keep their memories alive. Keana’s room is fit for a princess, as it’s filled with lots of Disney princess decor. The inside is stunning with crystal chandeliers.
The oval windows on the family’s new home give it a dollhouse feel. Only Crystal and her 4-year-old daughter, Keana, survived. Though she tried desperately to hang on to them, 10-year-old Shante and 6-year-old Trentan were ripped from Crystal’s arms. The night of the storm, the whole family took cover in the bathtub, but moments later, the house was pulled off its foundation. Crystal loved working with her clients that were disabled and elderly, but her kids are her life. That’s now preserved in a beautiful frame.īefore the storm, Crystal Whitely was the ultimate single mother taking care of her three kids and working as a personal care aid. One of Zach’s favorite things was a snakeskin. David has his very one Spider-man lair for a bedroom. The beautiful interior is filled with pictures of Zach. The two friends soon make a horrifying discovery both of them have lost children to one of the most devastating weather events this nation has ever endured. Stunned, Crystal finds her friend (also named Crystal). When she next saw Zach, his lifeless body was pinned beneath a utility pole. The storm eventually overpowered her and ripped the kids from her arms. As the home came apart around them, she felt her grip on her children weakening. Upon hearing the sirens, she hustled her kids inside the house and, following her emergency plan, huddled with them in the bathtub. In the tornado, Crystal lost her 9-year-old son, Zach Treadwell. She has a passion for helping people find housing, but in a cruel twist, now finds herself homeless. Single mom Crystal Cogdill works for the Joplin Housing Authority. The family also gets their very own storm shelter for any future emergencies. The kids all get bedrooms to match their interests and personalities. A door that once served as a protective shield now serves as a dining room table. Kyle’s firefighter coat is put in a frame and mounted above the fireplace in the new home. The family’s new home features a red top exterior and terrific stonework. Jill sustained minor injuries, but their home was completely destroyed. After the storm, they had no idea if Kyle was alive, but eventually the family, along with older son Keenan, who was out of town at the time, was reunited. A door landed on top of them, which they used to deflect the debris. Meanwhile Jill and their children, Konnor, Korbin and Kaleb, huddled in a closet. He made many stops along the way home, through the rubble, rescuing trapped victims and tending to injured members of the community. Kyle, the father and a Joplin fireman, was at work at the fire station during the storm and spent the first two hours after the tornado not knowing if his wife and kids had made it out alive. Get ready for seven amazing stories about seven courageous families who will get a fresh start once they MOVE THOSE BUSES! The parents and children from all seven Joplin families are whisked away on a dream vacation to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, while team leader Ty Pennington, designers Paul DiMeo, Paige Hemmis, Michael Moloney and Tracy Hutson, along with Sam Clifton from Millstone Custom Homes, who is lead builder for 21 builders, and approximately 13,000 Volunteers and community volunteers build the structures and work on the local park. Sears also provides all the essentials to make all the new houses into family homes. CVS puts together thousands of emergency supply kits for the community should there ever be another emergency in Joplin. They also create a new playground and a poignant memorial site to those volunteers who came to the aid of others during and after the tornado. The families united at a local park after the tornado, so the team refurbishes that park. The Extreme Team will help create seven beautiful homes in just seven days. Some of the Joplin families lost friends, some lost children, and all lost their homes.
On May 22, 2011, a catastrophic tornado ravaged the town of Joplin, killing approximately 160 people and destroying nearly 8,000 houses.