Joplin, Missouri, one year after tornadoes devastate town

A huge tornado devastated Joplin, Mo., on May 22, 2011, killing 161 people. A year later, residents are rebuilding amid the reminders of destruction and death.

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Crowds of people gather along the motorcade route of President Obama as he traveled from the airport in Joplin, Mo., to Missouri Southern State University, where he gave a commencement speech Monday night for the graduating class of Joplin High School.

Rich Sugg / AP

President Obama speaks to the graduating class of Joplin High School before commencement exercises in Joplin, Mo.

Rich Sugg / AP

President Obama greets students before the Joplin High School commencement, a day before the anniversary of the twister that killed 161 people in Joplin, Mo. Obama flew to Joplin to deliver the commencement address after wrapping up the NATO conference in Chicago.

Rich Sugg / AP

Members of the class of 2012 are shown at the Joplin High School commencement ceremony at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

From left, Morgan Osburn, David Hoosier and Kim Hoosier spend a quiet moment in front of a memorial to a friend, Lance Hare, who was killed by the massive 2011 tornado in Joplin, Mo. The tornado killed 161 and injured hundreds.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

A cross marks where a home once stood in Joplin, Mo. Thousands of buildings were destroyed by the 2011 tornado.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Grace Goebel plays outside her home in Joplin. The house was built by Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit organization.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Seven-year-old Camryn Dean, 7, plays in the new shelter behind her mother's rebuilt home. They live in a neighborhood that was flattened by the tornado.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Jeremy Nelson, center, and others rebuild Nelson's home.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Bill Schubert of the Global Green Building cuts tile for a new home. Convoy of Hope is helping with the project.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Construction goes on near a McDonald's. The tornado damaged or destroyed about 7,500 homes and 500 other buildings.

Eric Thayer / Reuters

Sitting on the stump of a tree that stood in front of her grandmother's home, Codessa Schoonover thinks about her grandmother, who died in the tornado.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Carey Prater holds her daughter, Reese, as they pray in a tent set up next to the site of Peace Lutheran Church. The church building was destroyed by the storm.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Lightning flashes across a rainbow near downtown Wichita, Kan., on May 19, 2012, a few days before the anniversary of the Joplin tornado. A series of powerful thunderstorms Saturday evening produced multiple tornado reports in southern Kansas.

Travis Heying / AP

The Joplin High School sign stands in front of the rubble of the school. "Joplin" has been altered to read "Hope." Six schools in the city were destroyed, and four others damaged. Groundbreaking for three new schools was scheduled for May 22, the anniversary of the disaster.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Suzanne Falkner stands while her grandson, Hunter Johnson, 7, pets her dog Ginger. Falkner, her son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren live in a FEMA trailer in Webb City, just north of Joplin.

Charlie Riedel / AP

A wall is in Joplin is painted with hopeful messages.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Rayiah Bryant practices for the high school drill team in front of her parent’s house in Joplin. The house was damaged by the tornado but has been repaired.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Scott Brown serves coffee at his business, Off the Track Coffee. Off the Track's building was destroyed by the tornado, but Brown rebuilt.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Chris Cadwell shows pictures of the building her business was in when it was hit by the massive tornado.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Artists Emily Frankoski, left, and Dolores Bilke paint a tornado-damaged tree in Joplin.

Eric Thayer / Reuters

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