The leveled Home Depot became a staging area for emergency workers. A new store opened in January. The site went from "such a site of devastation and tragedy to a beautiful new store where people can show up and buy their new hammer," <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fpeople%2Fgdeardorff">Grant Deardorff</a> said.
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
The leveled Home Depot became a staging area for emergency workers. A new store opened in January. The site went from "such a site of devastation and tragedy to a beautiful new store where people can show up and buy their new hammer," Grant Deardorff said.
Courtesy Grant Deardorff
Deardorff shot the photo on the left from behind the Aldi grocery store. A year later, the back of a new store is "a ho-hum picture" but speaks volumes about how far the town has come, he said.
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
Deardorff shot the photo on the left from behind the Aldi grocery store. A year later, the back of a new store is "a ho-hum picture" but speaks volumes about how far the town has come, he said.
Courtesy Grant Deardorff
At left, rescuers search through the rubble on May 22, 2011, at what used to be an AT&T store on Rangeline Road. On the right, a new store is rising.
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
At left, rescuers search through the rubble on May 22, 2011, at what used to be an AT&T store on Rangeline Road. On the right, a new store is rising.
Courtesy Grant Deardorff
When Deardorff visited this apartment building off 20th Street in the hours after the tornado, "all the cars were just flipped over, and every smoke alarm in every one of those apartments was going off," he said. A year later, the complex has been rebuilt.
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
When Deardorff visited this apartment building off 20th Street in the hours after the tornado, "all the cars were just flipped over, and every smoke alarm in every one of those apartments was going off," he said. A year later, the complex has been rebuilt.
Courtesy Grant Deardorff
<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fpeople%2Fztusinger1">Zachary Tusinger</a> watched the tornado move in from the roof of his apartment building. A few hours later, he learned that his aunt and uncle were killed and many friends were homeless.
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
Zachary Tusinger watched the tornado move in from the roof of his apartment building. A few hours later, he learned that his aunt and uncle were killed and many friends were homeless.
Courtesy Zachary Tusinger
Today, the view from Tusinger's roof is much more serene, but the tornado still comes up in nearly every conversation.
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
Today, the view from Tusinger's roof is much more serene, but the tornado still comes up in nearly every conversation.
Courtesy Zachary Tusinger
A year after the tornado, Tusinger said, there are shadows and remnants of what happened that day. "The hospital is slowly being torn down, pretty much all the houses that were affected were torn down, but here and there, there might be some steps or a porch or a tree that's still there."
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
A year after the tornado, Tusinger said, there are shadows and remnants of what happened that day. "The hospital is slowly being torn down, pretty much all the houses that were affected were torn down, but here and there, there might be some steps or a porch or a tree that's still there."
Courtesy Zachary Tusinger
<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fpeople%2Fmissyjenjen">Jennifer Parr</a> shot this photo in southwest Joplin two days after the tornado. "As devastating as the scenes are, I felt I should take these pictures to help document the aftermath of this historic storm," she said at the time.
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
Jennifer Parr shot this photo in southwest Joplin two days after the tornado. "As devastating as the scenes are, I felt I should take these pictures to help document the aftermath of this historic storm," she said at the time.
Courtesy Jennifer Parr
Parr lived two blocks from Cunningham Park. "To see it the day the tornado hit, completely gone, it was heartbreaking," she said. "It looks really nice and peaceful now." She said the park's rebirth is a sign that "even though there was so much loss, we've come a long way, and things will get better."
Joplin, Missouri: Hope and recovery —
Parr lived two blocks from Cunningham Park. "To see it the day the tornado hit, completely gone, it was heartbreaking," she said. "It looks really nice and peaceful now." She said the park's rebirth is a sign that "even though there was so much loss, we've come a long way, and things will get better."
Courtesy Jennifer Parr