The Evil Swirling Darkness

    It was Sunday, May 22, 2011. Bennett Satterlee was excited for his 11th birthday. He spent the morning at his home in Joplin, Missouri. His mom, Shannon, baked his favorite vanilla cake. 

    Bennett and his 7-year-old brother, Ethan, took some icing into the yard. They picked strawberries and had a sweet, sticky feast. 

    Before long, the brothers would leave for Bennett’s party at their grandparents’ pool. If it rained, they planned to come home and finish the fun inside. 

    Overhead the sky was hazy but blue. The brothers laughed while they snacked in the yard. But by nighttime, their lives would be forever changed. Many of their neighbors would be dead. More than one thousand people would be injured. 

    Their city was about to be hit by one of the worst tornadoes in United States history.

    It was Sunday, May 22, 2011. It was Bennett Satterlee’s 11th birthday. He spent the morning at his home in Joplin, Missouri. His mom baked a cake. 

    Bennett and his 7-year-old brother, Ethan, took some icing into the yard. They picked strawberries and had a feast.

    Soon the boys would leave for Bennett’s party at their grandparents’ pool. If it rained, they would come home and finish the fun inside.

    The sky was hazy but blue. The boys were having fun. But by nighttime, their lives would be forever changed. Many of their neighbors would be dead. More than one thousand people would be injured.

    Their city was about to be hit by one of the worst tornadoes in United States histor

    It was Sunday, May 22, 2011. Bennett Satterlee was excited for his 11th birthday. That morning, at his home in Joplin, Missouri, his mother baked his favorite vanilla cake.

    Bennett and his 7-year-old brother, Ethan, took some icing into the yard. They picked strawberries and had a sweet, sticky feast.

    Soon the brothers would leave for Bennett’s party at their grandparents’ pool. If it rained, they planned to come home and continue the celebration indoors.

    Overhead the sky was hazy but blue. The brothers laughed while they snacked in the yard. But by nighttime, their lives would be forever changed. Many of their neighbors would be dead, and more than one thousand people would be injured.

    Their city was about to be hit by one of the worst tornadoes in United States history.

    Today, meteorologists can predict many kinds of weather. They can tell you if your soccer game is likely to be rained out. They can let you know if you need snow boots to walk to school.

    Tornadoes, however, are still a mystery. These violent spinning columns of air form inside strong storms. Their winds swirl at up to 300 miles per hour and destroy everything in their path. It’s hard to know which storms will produce killer tornadoes. They’re often hidden by clouds—and come roaring out without warning.

    That Sunday, meteorologists were watching the border between Kansas and Missouri. They thought dangerous tornadoes were likely to form. But exactly when would they strike—and where?

    Today, meteorologists can predict many kinds of weather. They can tell you if rain is likely. They can tell you if snow is coming.

    Tornadoes, however, are still a mystery. These spinning columns of air form inside strong storms. Their winds swirl at up to     300 miles per hour and destroy everything in their path. It’s hard to know which storms will produce killer tornadoes. They’re often hidden by clouds—and come roaring out without warning.

    That Sunday, meteorologists were watching the border between Kansas and Missouri. They thought dangerous tornadoes were likely to form. But when would they strike? And where?

    Today, meteorologists can predict many kinds of weather. They can alert you if your soccer game is likely to be rained out, and they can let you know whether you’ll need snow boots to walk to school.

    Tornadoes, however, remain a mystery. These violent spinning columns of air form inside powerful storms. Their winds swirl at up to 300 miles per hour and destroy everything in their path. It’s difficult to know which storms will produce killer tornadoes. They’re often hidden by clouds—and come roaring out without warning.

    That Sunday, meteorologists were watching the border between Kansas and Missouri. They thought dangerous tornadoes were likely to form—but exactly when and where would they strike?

    Twenty minutes later, the sirens sounded again. Now everyone in Joplin knew the danger was real. All around the city, people rushed for shelter. At fast-food restaurants, they crowded into big refrigerators with strong metal walls. The Satterlees and their guests joined the kids in their basement.

    Outside, the tornado was now three-quarters of a mile wide. Its winds hit Joplin like a bomb. Brick buildings crumbled. Houses caved into piles of wood and glass. Cars and trucks were tossed thousands of feet through the air. 

    From the basement, the Satterlees heard crashes and thuds above them. Their home was 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.

    Twenty minutes later, the sirens sounded again. The danger was real. All around Joplin, people rushed for shelter. At fast-food restaurants, they crowded into big refrigerators with strong metal walls. The Satterlees and their guests joined the kids in the basement.

    The tornado was now three-quarters of a mile wide. Its winds hit Joplin like a bomb. Brick buildings crumbled. Houses caved in. Cars and trucks flew through the air.

    From the basement, the Satterlees heard crashes and thuds. Their home was 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.

    Twenty minutes later, when the sirens sounded again, everyone in Joplin knew the danger was real. All around the city, people scrambled for shelter. At fast-food restaurants, they crowded into large refrigerators with strong metal walls. The Satterlees and their guests joined the kids in the basement.

    The tornado was now three-quarters of a mile wide, and its winds hit Joplin like a bomb. Brick buildings crumbled, houses caved into piles of wood and glass, and cars and trucks were tossed thousands of feet through the air.

    From the basement, the Satterlees could hear the crashes and thuds of their home being ripped apart—but it wasn’t the house that concerned them. It was Ethan, Wyatt, Frank, and Sana. They were somewhere outside, caught in the evil swirling darkness.

    Finally, the Satterlees came up from the basement. Chunks of their roof were missing. Furniture was smashed. Neighbors’ houses were torn apart. 

    And Frank’s truck was nowhere to be seen.

    By then, the tornado had finished with Joplin. All across the city, people dug through piles of wood and brick to reach neighbors who were trapped. Teenage boys turned their trucks into ambulances. 

    Slowly, the damage became clear. The storm had killed 158 people and injured more than a thousand. It was America’s deadliest tornado in 60 years.

    Finally, the Satterlees came up from the basement. Chunks of their roof were missing. Furniture was smashed. Neighbors’ houses were torn apart.

    And Frank’s truck was nowhere to be seen.

    By then, the tornado had finished with Joplin. All across the city, people dug through piles of wood and brick to reach neighbors who were trapped. Teen boys used their trucks as ambulances.

    The storm had killed 158 people. It had injured more than a thousand. It was America’s deadliest tornado in 60 years.

    When the Satterlees finally emerged from the basement, they found chunks of their roof missing, furniture smashed, and neighbors’ houses destroyed.

    And Frank’s truck was nowhere to be seen.

    By then, the tornado had finished with Joplin. Throughout the city, people dug through piles of rubble to reach neighbors who were trapped. Teenage boys turned their trucks into ambulances.

    Gradually, the extent of the devastation became known. The storm had killed 158 people and injured more than a thousand. It was America’s deadliest tornado in 60 years.

    For the Satterlees, though, the day did not end in tragedy. Uncle Frank’s truck finally appeared. The back window was broken. The metal was dented and battered. But Frank, Sana, Ethan, and Wyatt were safe.

    For Ethan, the ride had been terrifying. Glass sprayed over him when the wind smashed the window. For a few minutes, he was afraid he would never see his family again.

    But the Satterlee boys don’t think about that fear when they remember the tornado. They talk about the strength of their community. They’re grateful for the help the city received from people all over the country. 

    Looking back on his 11th birthday, Bennett knows he got the best gift ever.

    “My family survived the tornado,” he says. 

    For the Satterlees, the day did not end in tragedy. Uncle Frank’s truck appeared. The back window was broken. The metal was dented. But the people inside were safe.

    For Ethan, the ride had been scary. Glass hit him when the wind broke the window. For a few minutes, he was afraid he would never see his family again.

    But the Satterlee boys don’t think about that fear when they remember the tornado. They talk about the strength of their community. They talk about the help the city received from people all over the country.

    Looking back on his 11th birthday, Bennett knows he got the best gift ever.

    “My family survived the tornado,” he says. •

    For the Satterlees, however, the day didn’t end in tragedy. Uncle Frank’s truck finally appeared. The back window was broken, the metal dented and battered—but Frank, Sana, Ethan, and Wyatt were safe.

    For Ethan, the ride had been terrifying. Glass sprayed over him when the wind smashed the window. For a few minutes, he was afraid he would never see his family again.

    But when the Satterlee brothers remember the tornado, those moments of fear aren’t what stand out. They talk about the incredible strength of their community and the support the city received from generous people all over the country.

    Recalling his 11th birthday, Bennett knows he got the best gift ever.

    “My family survived the tornado,” he says. •