The Tragedy of Joplin, Missouri | A Tornado Documentary

Joplin, Missouri, May 22, 2011. An EF-5 tornado destroyed the local town, leaving nothing but rubble in its path. This documentary is to show what life was like before the tornado, the distress of the tornado and the tragic aftermath of the storm.
Music Credits:
[FREE] Indie x Bedroom Pop Type Beat - "so alone" - Dan Darmawan
• [FREE] Indie x Bedroom...
Song: Thrill
Music composed and recorded by Oak Studios.
Link: • [Background Music] Thr... | Creative Commons - Attribution ND 4.0
Track: Suspense Mystery Music
Music composed and recorded by Oak Studios
Creative Commons - Attribution ND 4.0
• [No Copyright Music] S...
Song: Suspense Piano
Music composed and recorded by Oak Studios.
Link: • [No Copyright Music] S... | Creative Commons - Attribution ND 4.0
No Copyright Emotional Background Music - Alegend
Link: • NO COPYRIGHT EMOTIONAL...
Song: I Just Want Quiet
Music composed and recorded by Oak Studios.
Link: • [No Copyright Music] I... | Creative Commons - Attribution ND 4.0
Song: Promises
Music composed and recorded by Oak Studios.
Link: • [Background Music] Pro... | Creative Commons - Attribution ND 4.0
Life Is Strange - grayskies
• (free) indie folk + bo...
Song: Awakening
Music composed and recorded by Oak Studios.
Link: • [Background Music] Awa... | Creative Commons - Attribution ND 4.0
[FREE] Indie x Bedroom Pop Type Beat - "no fun" - Dan Darmawan
• [FREE] Indie x Bedroom...
Video Credits:
/ @joplinglobevideo
/ @aaron611z
/ @johnmichaelmayn
/ @tjfarncombe
/ @seanwilson7
/ @cld9trs
/ @izelsg
/ @rdtvraw
KSM Storm Center Video: • 2011 Joplin EF5 Tornad...
/ @cnn
/ @theweatherchannel
/ @kmbc
/ @mogov
/ @ksdk
The following content is for educational, documentary, and artistic purposes only.

[@dawnskycosmic]

I am a huge tornado enthusiast, and have watched and rewatched almost every documentary on joplin under the sun. Yours is a step above the rest by far. Your use of cinematic footage, sound effects, and music are masterful. I have taken college vidography classes, and I'm blown away by the quality of your video. Truly a hidden gem. You have real potential to be a big channel with work like this. Keep it up!

[@Penagirl81]

I live in Columbus Kansas just a few minutes away from Joplin... West of Joplin about 10 minutes of gaming KS. I have pictures Where it started forming Right in my mom's front yd She went out there because there were a lot of people around her house and they all told her they were storm chasers I have pictures It started off small It was just A funnel cloud When it began I do all of my shopping in Joplin and When I went there I could not believe my eyes it was terrible Bald and bald and bald I couldn't go for a few years I had my husband go do all the shopping He also helped He also helped rebuild saint John's wid He also helped rebuild saint John's He also helped rebuild saint John's widget it's called mercy now That's the hospital hospital that I go to The community is better than ever In Joplin is beautiful

[@DizzLexic]

I was going to comment on nearly the same things.

[@Richard-p3b]

I have the same interpretation. Thanx.

[@Richard-p3b]

⁠@@DizzLexic😊 ❤

[@PaulHosey]

Reality is scarier than fiction. This one really upset me. I wish I never knew 😢

[@aLightonlife]

Amazing documentary. I admire your production and editing skills! You definitely gave this event the respect and justice it deserves, I pray to never whitness anything this violent and horrendous in my life and that the survivors are healed of any mental or physical trauma

[@rosievortex2808]

I absolutely love this style of documentary. I hope to see more tornado documentaries from this channel. ❤

[@TexasKim]

Please keep making videos. Your work is impeccable.

[@7deepbreaths.sounds]

That girl at 25:16 nervously pleading with her male companion to get out of the car to go "help people"...while simultaneously saying the tornado is "not far away" ....in the middle of a torrential downpour is DANGEROUS company to keep during an emergency. I absolutely could not believe my ears...!!

[@Nallisn]

Agree, can’t give much help when you’re dead

[@bricewxofficial]

Mike getting emotional just broke me

[@MichaelLovely-mr6oh]

What many people don't know about Mike Bettes and his experience with the Joplin, Missouri tornado is that following the disaster Mike adopted a Golden Retriever who had been left homeless by the storm and named her Joplyn. Aww! Sadly, Joplyn crossed the rainbow bridge in 2022. While I was understandably saddened by this because I love dogs; I reconciled my sadness by reminding myself that Joplyn had lived a life surrounded by lots of love and affection.

[@indiajoy6872]

The footage of the inside of the gas station & beer cooler genuinely took my breath away. I’ve seen the video of the people during the tornado multiple times but never saw the physical damage or what it looked like afterwards. All the glass everywhere, imagine all those bottles just crashing down onto you…

[@robertfrank1472]

I’m from Moore, Ok and am a huge tornado nerd. I’ve watched every documentary I can find on KZbin and this is the best one I’ve seen covering this absolute monster.

[@oldcollegecoed]

Bless your heart! Moore has had WAY more than its fair share of these unpredictable and merciless killers! Take care!

[@caseyturner3894]

I survived this tornado just about a block north of the Dillon’s and a few blocks from the high school. I was only 8 but it is still the scariest moment of my life, but seeing the community come together after the fact really helped me come to terms with the tragedy. Thank you for such a well made video. It really captured the heart that this town has. ❤

[@carlitosdinkler5213]

Did you see any of the bodies in the aftermath?

[@PaulHosey]

I'm sorry you had to go through that especially being a little kid at the time 😢

[@dillon9447]

@@carlitosdinkler5213what the hell you never ask that EVER

[@carlitosdinkler5213]

@@dillon9447 Cry about it. I ask anybody thats been through a tornado. The destruction on human life that day was insane and I am into researching it.

[@PaulHosey]

​@@dillon9447he's a psychopath

[@ClefairyRox]

This is EXTREMELY impressive for a first video! Very well edited, respectful, and properly credited! You've earned a sub!

[@amari9912]

this is SO well made i dont know how this hasnt blown up

[@thomashllovell]

Agreed. Top-notch documentary editing. I appreciate the respect given to the Joplin community and victims.

[@the.mr.schrader]

The fact that this account has less than 250 subs is criminal. With the quality of this documentary, you deserve at least 100k. Please, keep making these documentaries. They’re of amazing quality.

[@scarpfish]

Give him time. It's his only video posted and it's only been up a few weeks. You need a body of work and time for people to discover it to get subs.

[@StevenPG72]

This account only has 1 video. Why would it have 100k subs for 1 video. It's lucky to have 355 subs as it is

[@suthernstars]

This is one of the best, if not THE best, tornado documentaries I've ever watched. Great job! I hope to see more from your channel.

[@davidclegg8560]

Hands down best documentary about tornados. You captured the raw beauty of the storm, as well as the destruction and lives hurt by this event. I hope you keep making videos. Thank you for honoring the memory of those that died and the spirit of the town

[@MaddieJK]

I really like how you did this!! Like someone else wrote, I’ve seen most of the docs on this and I saw stuff in this one I hadn’t before. I especially like how you wove in the Emergency Services calls; definitely shows a side not normally covered. You definitely worked hard on this and I hope this blows up for you! ❤

[@jeanieschmidt3781]

Excellent work. The footage inside the school is downright haunting.

[@lauren.b92]

Damn. This happened on my birthday. This story is so sad. God bless all the souls lost that day, including the sweet pets. 😭

[@TCCAPSA]

I totally agree with downskycosmic; an excellent and well-done addition. I particularly like how you bookend the story with "everyday activity" footage from before and after. Also, I saw clips I have not seen before. Beautiful musical accompaniment.

[@aprilchamberlain1677]

I came across this video by accident and wasn't going to watch it but I am happy I changed my mind because that was well done. Great job! I like that you showed what happened later how many houses were being built etc. That's something I haven't seen in other documtaries. That helped put everything in perspective. Thank you for sharing!!!

[@oldcollegecoed]

I’m a Missourian and have been through more tornadoes than I can count, but this particular tornado is one that I’ll never forget. You’ve done an amazing job of providing a comprehensive & compelling look at this unprecedented meteorological event, as well as the heartbreaking but uplifting human side, which isn’t an easy fear to accomplish! I’ve watched every video I can find on this tornado, and yours is, by far, the best! Congratulations on a job exceptionally well done!

[@Mega-rw8mt]

Only complaint i have is that i thought i had just found another few hours of entertaining tornado documentaries only to find out there's only 1 video so far

[@hohooooooooify]

Couldn't agree more

[@kryssylove4680]

This was an amazing presentation of not only the destructive event itself, but also the emotions and realness of that tragic day. Make sure to always tell those you love, how important they are to you and how much you love them. Because in an instant, it can all be taken away.

[@KevaFlores]

It just happened so fast! A rope tornado to a massive EF5 in 5 minutes! So very sad!!!

[@itskoolest]

this is a fantastic video for your first, hope we get to see more in the future:)

[@musicnerd72]

I just watched the worst Joplin documentary ever from Magellan TV.... Just to come here and watch the BEST one! Awesome work! 👍👌

[@kaimarie7823]

Yes i tried watching one other (i think it might have been the same one) and it had an extremely off putting AI voice This is a subject that requires humanity

[@deathbycheese850]

From what I have seen, Magellan is crap. I subscribed and unsubscribed in less than 24 hours.

[@musicnerd72]

@@deathbycheese850 Same

[@TheMommaDiary]

This is one of the BEST tornado documentaries I’ve ever seen.

[@guylewis477]

Beautifully done! I have wept over this tornado disaster and through most of this doc. This was a malevolent storm that was sent to reap souls. I was watching the ages at the end, and it seems to confirm that, indeed, the butterfly people saved most of the children.

[@dalebechtel8904]

It was unbelievable to see that second storm merge into what would become the monster ef5 that hit Joplin.

[@UpperlevelJeffstream]

20:23 Hearing a well known and multi-decade veteran storm chaser yell "Just go get the hell outta here!" has always stood out to me. Sends chills down my spine.

[@tobiasdog100]

And that Weather Girl telling the audience, "Take cover now!!!" never ceases to chill my spine.

[@Penagirl81]

I live in Columbus Kansas just west of Joplin Mo.. I do all of my shopping there... I couldn't believe my eye's... I stopped going there for a few years because I'd just breakdown and cry.. My husband is mason and help build that hospital St. Johns and now its called Mercy... Its the hospital that I go to.... Anyways Joplin is beautiful and the community is better than ever!!!!!!

[@nancythane4104]

THIS VIDEO NEEDS TO BE NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD!

[@Penagirl81]

OMGOODNESS!!!!!!! Mr. Sacketta!!!!! He was my principal when I was in high school in Galena!!!! That was back in 1998.... WOW!! This blows my mind!!!!!

[@bananagirl006]

The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad... 2011 was really that year when it comes to tv shows. And this document is insanely well made. Waiting for others

[@NSNE.Sports]

This is the best documentary i’ve seen on a tornado, well done. 👍

[@emo__runner]

This is a very well put together documentary. I'm currently trying not to sob at the dog being pulled out alive from the wreckage since I am at work 🥲

[@annaleas2091]

holy shiiiiiii, that into about gave me a panic attack! ive lived my whole life in tonado alley and that fear you fell wen the sirens and radio alerts are both going off....too real

[@flynnzilla8796]

I concur that this is very well done - however, the event was terrifying enough without using music to emphasize how terrifying a tornado is - in someways it forces one’s attention away from the enormity of what is happening…just my opinion of course : )

[@alexandraweyer4715]

This is one of the best tornado timelines and documentaries i have seen on KZbin. Subscibed!

[@vixroberts759]

Incredible documentary thank you for the time and effort put into it 😊

[@debbieellett9093]

This has the most in-depth video I've seen thus far. I do wish the background music would be turned down though. It drowns out the spoken word quite a few times. Overall, this is an amazing compilation! You got a new sub!👏👏👏👏👏

[@amirulasyraff6758]

I've never watch a full news coverage of this tornado before so it hits me when this time stamp 10:20 actually foreshadow the tornado that will happen

[@supernewf21]

Tooth, that was frigging phenomenal. Really! Consider me happily subscribed, and I hope to see more from you in the future.

[@S7EALTHY]

Wow the school cafeteria footage really showcases the power of this tornado in action. Absolutely insane

[@giddygiggler537]

im seeing this as u only have 95 subs and I js wanna say this video is good asl keep going brotherman ur gonna blow up if this video doesn't somehow

[@Africanwarrior101]

This documentary is great pal. 😊

[@twistedsister6293]

This brought me to tears..what a tragedy

[@debanderson8662]

Very well done, informative, and educational. Thank you!

[@emilyhale6019]

20:32 is there a police officer in the background saying "dont worry about it (talking abt the lights) just get the hell out of here!" ?

[@lizogden2458]

No. That was a group of 3 vans that was going through Joplin.

[@mahogany3947]

Man this is really intense but it would be better without the music

[@MikeCzenkmd]

I was a chaser back when this happened. When i arrived ln the outskirts of town i was prepared for debris and ruined houses, not all the dearh

[@outfield1988]

Man this is the most amazing video of this tragic storm ever. All involved putting this together should be proud of it. May the victims continue to to rest In Peace.

[@1954crc]

Great video. I too am one of many tornado nerds who watch ALL tornado video. I thought it was so sad to see the list of deceased one at the end of this video.Some were so young.

[@caninecorral8682]

VERY nicely done! Spot on editing… music… A cut above!

[@PaulHosey]

This tornado upsets me 😢

[@Dragonlilly12]

This is one of the best KZbinr-made documentaries I've ever seen on a tornado. I've watched hundreds of these and yours is the only one I can recall to go in chronological order with actual footage and phone calls involving the incident. It really puts you into the situation. Bravo!

[@matt_sandmann]

Well done, more content like this and your channel will blow up. It would be nice if you had your own commentary in there also

[@grmpEqweer]

This is an absolutely beautiful documentary. Well done. Subscribed.

[@michaelcook-bey7354]

I found this by accident, this was good, great job

[@leonardo_decapitated4644]

That opening brought me back to 2004 when I was watching Nickelodeon in Maryland when I was like 8. An f2 happened near my house, and we had mornings. My mom turned off the tv, and forced us into the basement. The tornado destroyed one house down the road, but not much else

[@kelleyhalma1024]

Me and my dad have been so interested in weather, I really like to see how tornados work and what they can do, but whenever the wind picks up in a severe thunderstorm then I rush to the basement just in case, even though this tornado happened 6 months before I was born, I wondered if this was how I became so interested in tornadoes...

[@jtbowman132]

38:11 this to me is still probably the most haunting footage from any tornado ever. Absolutely terrifying

[@billybobby9349]

Jesus you have done an AMAZING job thank you for this hard work

[@Cherilen83]

Very well done!. Watch a lot of tornado stuff, and you were able to bring a lot more connecting emotion to the story. It's hard to do through a phone or computer, but ya done did it!

[@TornadoDude083]

Good job making this documentary !!

[@luna-zh1tz]

I love how this documentary is narrated... really does put you in peoples shoes as it happened

[@pamkaiser9660]

Amazing video. I Lived in Galena ks. At that time. Very scary and sad day.

[@dianefarley37]

Beautifully done video. The only thing I would change is the music. Too much. The original sound is most impressive.

[@cuecumbers]

38:11 "we're gonna do it, we're gonna do it" really hit me. the gear up for what they know is inevitably gonna hit.

[@brianperkins4191]

This is why I stopped storm chasing I did it for the thrill of it it was a adrenaline rush for me and after I seen the devastation of one like Joplin I went home on the spot

[@albertgroenwold5849]

62 subscribers (as of my first time watching this) and creating such a masterpiece. amazing job!

[@vladtheimpaler7878]

This doc was very well put together. I think we have a burgeoning KZbinr here. This was very well made.

[@vladtheimpaler7878]

Your style is very open. You can do essentially anything, but I will say this style is lacking in telling the stories of those who experienced it first hand, but you do it great. Which you do seamlessly.

[@coverdinsins]

The things you will say when you think your world is ending, dear God I don't blame them.

[@feg3akatrey144]

I agree with many others… this is an exceptionally well-done documentary. Thanks for sharing it with the world 🙏

[@WanderingRoe]

This was extremely well-done. Brought me to tears. It’s very powerful showing the lives of the people before and after the tornado. It’s one thing to talk about the meteorology and devastation, but to show the everyday activities and such reminds us that these are cities and people like you and I.

[@eva-mariacampbell9609]

😢this was a evil tornado 🌪 rip 🪦 Joplin

[@nancythane4104]

These monster twisters are being created by the excessive greenhouse gasses we've allowed to be added to our atmosphere. Whatever name we want to give it, these storms and other weather changes are, at least partly, our own fault.

[@Brandon-pc1ii]

Absolutely tragic 😢

[@angieloveless57]

Wooooow you did such a great job putting all this together it’s so heartbreaking 😓

[@gyrospinup]

The St Johns hospital was lifted up and moved 9 inches off its foundation. It was a very large 10 story hospital.

[@lizogden2458]

9 story hospital and it only twisted a few inches.

[@TheRuralRailfan]

I'm sorry, but the iPhone clown text tone made me laugh my ass off. Here comes this wall of death, then a random clown horn. 😂 all kidding aside, this is the rawest documentary I've ever seen about the Joplin Event. The reality of it all is at an unspeakable volume.

[@diontaedaughtry974]

This was very insightful, Great video 👍👍

[@rjpeace4481]

I love this so much I’ve watched everything and this tower overs it

[@StevenPG72]

AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THE FEMALE TV WEATHERMAN KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING!

[@DizzLexic]

Incredibly well done. Great tag line on your channel description too!! haha... "Every video is like your going to the dentist" ... Seriously though, keep up the good work!!

[@Swifty8519]

My dads brother lived in Carl Junction at the time. So me and my cousins caught this beast first hand from the start. It was a thing straight out of a nightmare. It was there...and then slipped into the rain. Ill never forget that day..

[@mysticakhenaton1701]

Thumbs UP.

[@Dorthy-wx9fq]

This is my mom's home town, she grew up here and I still had relatives that lived there.. I'm sure that by the time that this tornado went through they were already died. But I know that this is where my grandma is bearyed. So I still have ties to Joplin, Missouri. And I pray for Joplin every year around this time of year. But thank you for sharing this video, so far it's been good.

[@MikeCzenkmd]

I'm an ex storm chaser, now a physician. I do miss it sometimes, but I am glad I found this channel. Amazing work.

[@PaulHosey]

Why ex? Too much carnage I imagine.

[@CJTheeOne]

@@PaulHoseynah physicians (doctors) dont have time for chasing a tornado nor would they want to.

[@joshfrommilan6130]

Fun unrelated fact: two of the cartoons on the tv in the intro of this video share a voice actor. John DiMaggio, who plays both Bender in Futurama and Jake the Dog in Adventure Time.

[@kaimarie7823]

This is a really well done doc. The music was really impactful and there was alot of footage i hadnt seen before. I was in this tornado and its so crazy to see the news' weather footage, we werent watching it at the time. I dont even remember hearing sirens My SIL had a yard sale earlier that day and when it started raining she went out to grab what was still outside until it started blowing away. it kept coming down harder and harder. My nephew was looking out the window at it. I remember saying "lets get away from the window" and my SIL saying "lets go to a closet" We were so so lucky, the house we were in only lost some siding and windows and trees. One street over was flattened. We babysat while she went to try to buy water and when she came back she told us "Joplin is just gone" There was no phone service so i couldnt call my mom to tell her i was safe. She knew i was in Joplin. I would get signal every couple hours, just long enough to see all the missed calls and texts from her. She was worried for hours until i could finally send a message out, i can't imagine how she felt during that time. For years i felt uneasy hearing sirens while it rained. Because thats what we heard all night while we all stayed in one room until we could clean up the rest of the house. Then the news said more tornadic activity was likely the next night. Luckily that was just a storm, but the kids were so scared

[@PaulHosey]

I'm not a religious man but God bless the citizens of Joplin and those whose lives were robbed from them on that day ❤

[@PgPgDn]

Well done. Subbed!

[@alexbuilds706]

I've watched a lot of disaster docs and this one has me glued... Well done, tragic as it all was.

[@CJTheeOne]

Bro i cant believe you made this. I just found this channel seeing joplin footage (i was 10 when it happened, not from missouri but i just rmember as a kid sitting in a barbershop in ohio on may 23, 2011 when my dad took me after school the day that monday, after the tornado (may 22nd 2011 was on a sunday so the barber was closed where my parents and i lived) i heard a tornado outbreak happened earlier the day prior but didnt know how bad so i see the national news on the tv i believe and i see these photos and footage on tv of all these tornados but then i see the aftermath photos and footage of a “middle of nowhere” town named Joplin, Missouri. That got hit by an “violent” tornado. What shocked me the most is As a kid i had so much self awareness of stuff compared to most my age who all just wanna play video games etc without a care. i felt sad af seeing thay all the homes destroyed buisnesses etc. as an adult when i put this tornado among others into perspective now its worse.. this was a great documentary you made bro.

[@danielwieten8617]

The thing that drives me nuts with most of these documentaries is the reupload quality. Some of the original videos aren’t great as it is, but the clips reuploaded look even more blurry and grainy, and the aspect ratio is commonly off. I just don’t understand why

[@sheilanesteruk5280]

Bravo...one of the best presentation s i ve seen

[@hohooooooooify]

I honestly can't wait for your next upload boss please take your time on it this was a wild ride through this event and honestly emotional many people cover the aspects but few will ever even attempt to lay it all out the way you have please don't rush these future generations can come back to this to c why it was so bad Edit: not so much why it was so bad but more why it left such a mark on people love this thank you

[@cerealkillerr9175]

I was in this tornado. This was the scariest day of my life… my dad and me were in an above garage apartment, we were standing in the living room when all the windows exploded in. Glass shot across the living room as we went for the closet, we had to go through the bathroom to the closet. As I looked back I could see outside. My living room was gone. I could see outside as my dad went to hold the bathroom door shut, the wall next to the tube exploded and my dad gets hit with something right after that the room collapsed part of it hitting me in the head knocking me out. I woke up outside 20-30 feet from where I was in the closet. As I got up I was in shock, the winds were still strong. I seen my dad laying on rubble, all I could think was get to safety. So I drug my dad through rubble to another shed near by. Waited there until helped arrived.

[@Laika2311]

This is an exceptional tornado documentary and I've seen more than I can count! Incredible job 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@whatwillbem6825]

I’m a new sub!! Wow same here this is the best doc I’ve seen on the Joplin tornado felt like I was there!! Not to downplay the horrific loss to these poor people…..Geez so glad it popped up on my acct!!! Keep em coming!😁👍🏼♥️

[@alliebarnett3632]

I survived this by the Joplin High School. It was like the end of the world.