Author Archives: Chris Wilson

I would like to thank everyone of the EMS staff for their dedication and loyalty to our community. We should all say “Thank You for all you do”. May 20-26 is National EMS week.  We should recognize the things they … Read more→

I’ll never forget that distinct smell of broken wood and glass right after the Tornado hit. I’ll never forget driving an seeing the destruction trying to get home to our damaged home; and the man with the bloody face that was walking … Read more→

I have written before about My son Brian and cousin Mike Byers,who found Mark Linquist. I visited my son in October,and I saw what had been done to rebuild Joplin. I have read every day about the recovery and the … Read more→

My wife is an EMT. She heard what had happened that night, and immediately contacted our friends in Pittsburg,Kansas. She then traveled to Pittsburg with our friends who work at Freeman Hospital. ll through the night she helped triage and help … Read more→

Molly Brown is my mom’s Search and Rescue Dog….On May 22, 2008, she recieved a pacemaker at the University of Missouri. Her operation was paid for with donations from the people of her home town of Joplin. On May 22, … Read more→

 Jacque, my wife and a case manager for the Oklahoma area, heard of the tornado. Her mothers apartment was in the direct path of it. She rushed over to try and locate her mother and other family members. I was … Read more→

My dad, Larry Hilburn (age 66), had a heart attack at his home in Ft Scott on May 11th. He was flown from Ft Scott hospital to St Johns in Joplin. On May 17th he had triple bypass surgery but … Read more→

People tend to think that heroes are only those that do great things. While that is true, there are heroes out there each and every day. The heroes that I am talking about are the ones that are doing the … Read more→

I was spending the day, May 22nd 2011, with Mark, who is my ex-husband, and our son and daughter-in-laws three children. The children are Jeremiah age 5, Trevor age 4, and Lily age 2. We took them to eat breakfast, … Read more→

While standing outside my apartment that had been destroyed by the tornado a couple stopped to check on me.  I shared with them how I had rode out the storm and rescued people from Dillion’s and the apartment complex. They … Read more→